The Special Adviser to President Bola Tinubu on Media and Public Communication, Sunday Dare, has lashed out at the President’s political opponents, alleging that they are unnecessarily “heating up the polity”.

While describing the President’s political opponents as “wannabes”, he said they unleashed vitriol on Tinubu while he was away in Tanzania seeking solutions to Nigeria’s energy problems.

The presidential aide however said Tinubu is not perturbed and will only entertain conversations on how to improve the lives of Nigerian citizens and constructive discourse on building a resilient economy.

His outburst is coming days after former Governor of Kaduna State, Nasir El-Rufai, and former Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, along other opposition leaders openly criticised Tinubu’s administration.

El-Rufai also criticized the All Progressives Congress, APC, for abandoning its founding principles and fostering poor leadership.

“I no longer recognise the APC. No party organ has met in two years—no caucus, no NEC, nothing. You don’t even know if it is a one-man show; it’s a zero-man show,” El-Rufai said.

The former governor criticised the quality of leadership emerging from political parties, attributing it to unqualified delegates.

“You cannot afford to have illiterates, semi-illiterates, and cunning people as your leaders. This is why we end up with the poor leadership we have today.”

Amaechi, while speaking on how to take power from a sitting President, was quoted to have said that Tinubu and the political class would not surrender power to the younger generation without a fight.

Reacting in in a post on his X handle on Monday, Dare told Tinubu’s political opponents to wait for the next election to test their popularity.

His post reads, “While President Bola Ahmed Tinubu of Nigeria was away in far away Dar es Salaam, capital of Tanzania, his political opponents, detractors, opposition elements, psuedo friends unfolded their Machiavellian inclinations. Indeed, while the President was seeking solutions to Nigerias’ energy problems in Dar es Salaam, some “wannabes “were heating up the polity.

“Expectedly, it was a gathering convened to further spread ill-will. Nothing new came out of the gathering different from the opposition script we are used to. A few of the participants went overboard in their vitriol, fanning the embers for adopting undemocratic actions. These political gladiators have antecedents that are well known.

“We urge Nigerians to begin their scrutiny early. And choose between political hecklers and real progressives. The clouds are beginning to clear. The stage sets soon. The combat begins. Until then, President Tinubu, an avowed democrat remains undistracted and unperturbed. The fight is ahead. Not now.

“The only conversation he wants to have now is how to improve the lives of Nigerian citizens and constructive discourse on building a resilient economy. This is 2025. Not 2027. Let those who want to test their popularity with Nigerians wait for the next election. President Tinubu is fully focused on providing the leadership that will transform our country.”