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![[JUST IN] Ajuri Ngelale Vs Bayo Onanuga: ‘Why Tinubu Sacked Chief Spokesman’ – Sources](https://www.naijanews.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/Bayo-Onanuga-Bola-Tinubu-and-Ajuri-Ngelale-1000x600.png)
“While I fully appreciate that the ship of state waits for no man, this agonising decision — entailing a pause of my functions as the Special Adviser to the President on Media & Publicity and Official Spokesperson of the President; Special Presidential Envoy on Climate Action, and Chairman, Presidential Steering Committee on Project Evergreen — was taken after significant consultations with my family over the past several days as a vexatious medical situation has worsened at home.” However, sources within the presidency revealed to FIJ that Ngelale’s departure was not due to a family health crisis, but rather the culmination of a power struggle with Bayo Onanuga, the Special Adviser on Information and Strategy.
Naija Newsreports that Ngelale, who also served as the special presidential envoy on climate action, shocked Nigerians on Saturday when heabruptly announced his departure, citing “medical matters presently affecting my immediate, nuclear family.” He had said in a statement: “On Friday, I submitted a memo to the Chief of Staff to the President informing my office that I am proceeding on an indefinite leave of absence to frontally deal with medical matters presently affecting my immediate, nuclear family.
It was just recently that he eventually got an office that belonged to either Wale Edun or Zacheus Adedeji when they were still advisers.” Rahman, the senior special assistant to the president on media and publicity, had been appointed in July 2023, three months before Onanuga’s appointment.
“Ngelale considered himself untouchable because he had the backing of the president’s son Seyi and Femi Gbajabiamila, the president’s chief of staff,” a source disclosed.
According to insiders, following the election of Bola Tinubu as Nigeria’s president in 2023, Ngelale and Onanuga did not get along, largely because Ngelale, who had been appointed by President Muhammadu Buhari in 2019 as a senior special adviser on public affairs, considered himself superior to Onanuga.
Meanwhile, Zacheus Adedeji, who was appointed special adviser on revenue, and Wale Edun, special adviser on monetary policy, had both secured their roles in June 2023, months ahead of Onanuga.
“During the 2023 presidential electioneering, Jumoke Oduwole, the special adviser on the Presidential Enabling Business Environment Council (PEBEC), introduced Ngelale to Gbajabiamila,” said the source.
“The Ngelale-Onanuga feud was no secret in the villa, so several top appointees and cabinet members attempted to intervene at separate times; and while Onanuga was open to peace talks, Ngelale wasn’t,” the source continued.
Immediately after the interview was aired, Tinubu called Ngelale.” Following Tinubu’s election victory, Ngelale’s appointment was secured soon after his return to Nigeria.
Although Ngelale served as special adviser on media and publicity, and Onanuga as special adviser on information and strategy, civil servants found their roles confusing.
In the previous administration, Femi Adesina was the special adviser on media and publicity, while Garba Shehu was the senior special assistant..
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