Nigeria: Presidency Slams Aisha Yesufu Over Allegations of Tinubu Being 'Disgraced' in South Africa

19 June 2024

Activist, Aisha Yesufu's recent criticisms of President Bola Tinubu have sparked a heated exchange on social media, with the presidency issuing a robust response.

The controversy erupted when Yesufu alleged on Twitter that Tinubu had been disgraced and shunned by South African President Ramaphosa during an inauguration event following his re-election.

In a sharp rebuttal, Presidential spokesman, Bayo Onanuga, tagged Yesufu and her supporters as "an uncouth horde of pessimists" who remain embittered over their candidate's third-place finish in the 2023 elections.

Aisha and her uncouth horde of pessimists are always quick to rush to judgment with any whiff of what appears to them to be negative to the leader of Africa's biggest democracy. More than a year after the 2023 election, in which their candidate came third, they remain incurably... https://t.co/eIqojpp26F-- Bayo Onanuga (@aonanuga1956) June 19, 2024

Onanuga accused Yesufu of hasty judgment and maintaining a consistently negative attitude towards Tinubu, contrasting her behavior with that of supporters of the second-place candidate.

My people say Pikin wey no hear word for house na for outside dem go disgrace am!Tinubu Disgraced Once Again In South Africahttps://t.co/C4aGF90oAZ-- Aisha Yesufu (@AishaYesufu) June 19, 2024

Similarly, O'tega Ogra, Tinubu's Senior Special Assistant on New Media, joined in the criticism, accusing Yesufu of displaying "crass ignorance" and engaging in behavior aimed at garnering social media approval rather than constructive engagement.

Ogra refuted specific allegations made by Yesufu regarding the incident at the inauguration event, highlighting factual inaccuracies in her claims.

Yesufu's initial tweet referencing the incident in South Africa portrayed it as another instance of disgrace for Tinubu, triggering swift and forceful responses from Tinubu's camp.

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