All authoritarians hate the independent press. Democracy constitutionally mandates a free press. You can’t have democracy without a free press. Under democracy, you can’t suppress and delegitimize independent media.

Bayo Onanuga and Dele Alake, spokespersons for Tinubu/Shettima campaign organization are at war with Rufai Oseni and Reuben Abati of Arise News and Arise News Organization. Onanuga and Alake accused the two journalists and Arise TV of bias, prejudice, and corruption for asking Alhaji Bola Ahmed Tinubu the APC presidential candidate to present himself for debates and one-on-one interviews.

Onanuga and Alake foolishly demonstrate their blind arrogance, crude intolerance, and anger-stoked bashing of Oseni and Abati for refusing to be bullied to submission. Onanuga and Alake believe that Nigerians have no moral right to scrutinize Tinubu through interviews and debates. They want to dictate where and when to engage Tinubu and who will interrogate Tinubu. Onanuga and Alake see it as an insult for Oseni and Abati to subject Emperor Tinubu to humiliation and disgrace on Arise TV. The two shameless spokespersons see it as a violation “Emi lo kan” entitlement of Tinubu, which is why they resort to a succession of self-enriching stunts to bully, intimidate, and suppress Oseni and Abati. They would like to dominate and control independent press outside of The Nation newspaper and TVC TV both owned by Tinubu.

To many Nigerians, Tinubu is arrogance personified. His trademarks are secrecy and imperiousness. The bully tactics of the two pompous fools have further damaged the remaining threadbare credibility and integrity of Tinubu.

We know why Onanuga and Alake are shielding Tinubu from appearing on independent media. Tinubu under fire in one-on-one interviews would not survive being asked the following questions:

1. Alhaji Tinubu, were you involved in the US for money laundering and for working for a ring of drug traffickers?

2. Sir, what were you indicted for in the US? Why did you agree to a plea bargain in a drug case?

3. Alhaji Tinubu, did you forfeit $460,000 to the US government the “proceeds of narcotics”?

4. What date of birth did you claim on your INEC EC9 form? What date of birth did you claim elsewhere?

5. Is it true you graduated from Government College in Lagos in 1970 as claimed on INEC EC9 form?

6. The transcripts from Richard Daley Community College which you used to gain admission to Chicago State University states Bola Ahmed Tinubu is a female and African American. Can you explain sir?

7. It has been alleged that the degree certificate you submitted to INEC was sourced from a site known as Diplomamakers.com and it’s not the same as the certificates issued by Chicago State University. Can you explain the discrepancy?

Nigerians would like Tinubu to answer these and many questions surrounding his identity, parentage, work history etc. It is an act of 419 on the part of Tinubu to farm out these questions to his “team members.”

Onanuga and Alake want to keep independent media unquestioningly subservient to them as virtual Tinubu megaphones hence the systematic attack on Arise TV. They see Oseni and Abati as “enemies of Tinubu and APC.” Of course, in a liberal democracy, the press is necessarily an “enemy of some people” at a given point in time by performing its defining role as a watchdog against the campaign of calumny from people like Onanuga and Alake lapdogs of Tinubu. The independent media must be as alert a watchdog as ever in these perilous political times in Nigeria. It is the only fighter for now left in the ring.

As for Onanuga and Alake, they seem to be reaching the final stages of the legendary dance of the scorpion – just before they sting themselves into the footnotes of history.