News
How Aso Rock power play consumed Tinubu media aide, Ajuri Ngelale
How Aso Rock power play consumed Tinubu media aide, Ajuri Ngelale
By the time Ajuri Ngelale announced on Saturday that he was stepping aside as presidential spokesman, he had fallen out with many key presidency officials — Femi Gbajabiamila, the chief of staff; Hakeem Muri-Okunola, principal secretary; and Victor Adeleke, chief of state protocol. Not forgetting President Bola Tinubu’s son, Seyi, who — together with Gbajabiamila — engineered Ngelale’s appointment as special adviser on media and publicity in July 2023.
Even George Akume, the secretary to the government of the federation (SGF), reportedly complained to the president about how Ngelale created positions and announced to the public without informing his office, which manages political appointments.
In May 2024, Ngelale was named special presidential envoy on climate action, chairman of the presidential steering committee on Project Evergreen, Nigeria’s first green industrial zone, and secretary of the presidential committee on climate action and green economic solutions, chaired by Tinubu.
Leveraging on his closeness to the president and his son, Ngelale had reportedly proposed the creation of these three positions and received Tinubu’s approval. He then went ahead to issue a press statement announcing the appointment without recourse to the SGF, a development that enlarged the camp of his “enemies”. An enraged Akume drew the president’s attention to it.
Many had thought he would be dropped as spokesman with the climate change appointment, but he combined the roles for the whole of three months.
The climate change role also angered stakeholders in the sector who saw it as “power grab” and a violation of extant laws.
“Ajuri behaves as if he owns Aso Rock,” a senior insider in the presidential villa had told TheCable on Wednesday.
Three days later, he was gone.
Announcing that he was proceeding on an indefinite leave of absence on Saturday, he said it was for health reasons “in the nuclear family”. TheCable confirmed that there is indeed a medical issue in his family but it was not the primary reason for his decision to “step aside”.
The immediate trigger, TheCable understands, was the writing was on the wall that his days were numbered.
“Ajuri was asked to pick between being presidential spokesman and climate change ambassador. He said he should be allowed to think over it. He came back to pick presidential spokesman but he was told that he would need supervision as it was obvious he needed help,” another insider told TheCable.
The “help” he needed had been constantly highlighted to the president, some of which included mistakes in his press statements. He wrongly announced in September 2023 that Tinubu was the first African president to ring the closing bell at Nasdaq. He also prematurely announced the decision of the government of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) to lift the visa ban on Nigeria. The government was particularly embarrassed by the media backlash on each occasion.
“Some of his press statements were simply childish,” the insider said, pointing to when Ngelale posted on social media that he had broken the State House record for most statements issued in a single day. That was on July 13, 2024. “I mean, what was that?”
Ngelale, 37, was also accused of not being a leader as he hardly gave any directions to his team members or held meetings with them.
“He was running a one-man show and played members of the team against each other, dealing only with the people he brought into the team,” the insider told TheCable.
Tinubu, who had been attracted to Ngelale because of his well-delivered CNN interview in May 2023, had also been asking his aides why his spokesman was no longer appearing regularly on TV since that was his major selling point. Although Ngelale resumed his TV duties, it was apparent by the day that he was already losing out in Aso Rock politics.
The Power Play
There was a beginning to the civil war.
Dele Alake, commissioner of information and strategy in Lagos state from 1999-2007 when Tinubu was governor, had been positioned to be the special adviser on media, strategy and special duties to the president. It all looked like a done deal until Seyi, whom insiders say plays a major role in appointments made by his father, decided to torpedo it.
Working with Gbajabiamila — who was still a strong chief of staff before the appointment of Muri-Okunola — Seyi played up Ngelale’s credentials to checkmate Alake, whose office would have been at the presidential villa if he had been made presidential spokesman. Instead, he was appointed minister of solid minerals and Ngelale was named as spokesman.
But that was just the beginning. Ngelale’s mistakes were constantly highlighted as reasons why he needed supervision. Bayo Onanuga, former MD of the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) and an experienced journalist who graduated from the University of Lagos in 1980, was named special adviser on information and strategy to the president in October 2023 to perform that role.
Many commentators believed Tinubu had too many senior figures in his communications team that amounted to duplication of roles, but it was also thought that Onanuga’s appointment would unify the team and streamline the flow of communication from the presidency.
It was not to be.
Insiders told TheCable that Ngelale refused to work with Onanuga and continued to relate directly with the president, apparently because he had the backing of Gbajabiamila and Seyi Tinubu.
The irony, though, is that Ngelale initially refused to accept his appointment as presidential spokesman, insisting he wanted to pursue a different path outside of government having been part of the communications team of President Muhammadu Buhari for four years.
He was persuaded by the president’s son to take the job, unknown to him that he was just a pawn on the chessboard.
The game would ultimately consume him as his backers backed out and he found himself in the middle of nowhere. He was left with no option than to fall on his own sword, having already fallen out with his guardian angels.
-Source: The Cable, except the headline
News
[UPDATED] [Breaking] APC’s Lucky Aiyedatiwa wins Ondo governorship election
[UPDATED] [Breaking] APC’s Lucky Aiyedatiwa wins Ondo governorship election
Lucky Aiyedatiwa, the All Progressive Congress (APC) candidate, has emerged victorious in the Ondo governorship election.
Olayemi Akinwumi, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) returning officer, disclosed the results in Akure, Ondo’s capital, on Sunday.
Aiyedatiwa, the incumbent governor, secured 366,781 votes, surpassing Agboola Ajayi of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), who garnered 117,845 votes.
Nejo Adeyemi, the African Democratic Congress (ADC) candidate, trailed behind with 4,138 votes.
The APC dominated the election, winning all 18 local government areas, while the PDP failed to secure any victories.
The off-cycle election in Ondo, contested by 17 candidates, took place peacefully, with minimal violence reported.
Prior to the election, Aiyedatiwa expressed confidence in his victory, citing his impressive record in office.
Aiyedatiwa emphasized that he was the sole candidate to have visited all 18 local government areas, adding that he’s willing to concede defeat if the election is free from manipulation.
Ajayi, Aiyedatiwa’s closest rival, expressed concerns regarding INEC’s capability to ensure a fair electoral process.
The PDP candidate also criticized the commission’s sluggish pace, alleging that it constitutes a “deliberate attempt to rig the polls”.
ONDO STATE GUBERNATORIAL ELECTION RESULTS (UPDATED)
1– Akure North
APC 14, 451
PDP 5, 787
2–Okitipupa
- APC 26, 811
- PDP 10, 233
3—Akoko Northeast
APC 25, 657
News
Ondo election: Again, INEC shifts collation of results to noon
Ondo election: Again, INEC shifts collation of results to noon
The Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, has shifted the collation of results for the Ondo State governorship election from 5am to noon.
The Returning Officer, Prof Olayemi Akinwunmi, had earlier announced that collation of the remaining five council areas will resume by 5 a.m. (Sunday), but later said it commences by noon.
Prof Akinwunmi is the Vice Chancellor of the Federal University of Lokoja.
READ ALSO:
- Soldier, four others killed in Benue during suspected cultists clash
- Helen Paul excited receiving Georgia citizen award
- Ndume tells Bwala to beg Shettima for forgiveness over Muslim-Muslim ticket outburst
Akinwunmi, who announced the recess, said it is to give room for the arrival of results from the remaining council areas.
He said: “We have five more local governments but we are going to take our recess now until 5am to receive some receive from Akure North, Okitipupa and Odigbo, then Ilaje and Eseodo. We resume 5am for these local governments.”
According to results from 13 of the 18 local government areas announced so far by INEC, Aiyedatiwa has polled 259,851 votes ahead of his closest rival and candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Agboola Ajayi, who scored 81,031 votes.
Ondo election: Again, INEC shifts collation of results to noon
News
Ondo gov: PDP, APC bought votes, says rights group
Ondo gov: PDP, APC bought votes, says rights group
The Centre for Democracy and Development West Africa (CDD-West Africa), through its Election Analysis Centre (CDD-EAC), has said that the main opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) bought votes from the electorate for as low as N3,000 and N5,000 respectively during the Saturday’s off-cycle governorship election in Ondo State.
Prof. Victor Adetula, Lead, CDD-EAC Observation Mission Ondo 2024; and Dr. Dauda Garuba, Director, CDD-West Africa, said this in CDD’s EAC preliminary statement on the conduct of the 2024 Ondo State governorship election, presented by Ms Oluseyi Awojulugbe, a member of the CDD-EAC.
The report also said that the election recorded lower incidents of disinformation and information manipulation, also referred to as fake new compared to the recently concluded off-cycle September 21 governorship election in Edo State.
“CDD-EAC notes a lot of instances of vote buying. In Okitipupa LGA, Ward 09, Unit 003 (Irowa, Ilutitun 3), voters were solicited for their votes, with APC allegedly offering ₦10,000 per voter and PDP ₦3,000.
“In Odigbo LGA, Ward 01, Unit 001 (Oja Baale, Agbabu), reports of vote-buying were noted, with APC allegedly offering ₦10,000 and PDP ₦5,000 per voter.
“Our observers also noted that some party agents started transferring money to voters to circumvent having to hold cash. In Ese-Odo, Ward 07, Unit 013 (Tari Ama Zion Ugo Community, Arogbo Ward 2), Vote-buying was observed at this polling unit, with PDP offering ₦3,000 and APC offering ₦5,000 to voters.
READ ALSO:
- Obasanjo takes jab at Tinubu govt, says Nigeria’s failing state obvious
- Dapo Abiodun ally Bidemi Rufai released from US prison
- Dismissed soldier arrested for armed robbery in Osun
“CDD observers watching the process in Ward 5, PU 001, located at St Johns Primary School, Iba Akoko South East spotted APC leaders writing down the names of those who voted for their candidate.
“Subsequently, a card was given to them and they were instructed to converge at an agreed location where cash would be disbursed to them.
“In Ward 005, PU 001, St Barnabas Primary School, Ifon, CDD-EAC observers saw policemen arguing over money shared by a party stalwart.
“The policemen reportedly frowned that about 10 of them were given N100,000 while only one official from another branch of the armed services allegedly got N15,000,” the report said.
The CDD-EAC said that the vote buying incidents and behaviour of party agents sparked multiple conflicts during the voting process, listing Idanre LGA, Ward 06, PU 004 (Methodist High School), where APC agents were accused of strategically monitoring voters’ choices, a move initially defended by security officials but later curtailed after protests.
The report, however, commended the prompt arrival of electoral officials at polling units (PUs), with 99% of CDD-EAC observers reporting that the INEC officials were at their stations before 8:30am.
Observers also reported cases of rowdiness in the polling environment with some youths disagreeing in some cases about the initiative by poll officials to allow elderly voters to cast their ballots first, leading to the disruption of the process, despite the intervention of the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) at Post Office Premises, Akungba Akoko, Akoko South West.
On disinformation and information manipulation, the report said that the numbers of false narratives, claims and counter claims in the Ondo State governorship election have been relatively low, compared to other recent polls.
It said, “In the campaign period, and on Election Day, 13 claims have so far been reported and fact checked by CDD War Room.
“This is low, compared to the 61 claims reported during the same period in the Edo election, representing a 79% increase between the two elections. While 12 of these claims have been assessed to be either false or misleading, the sole claim peddled on voting day was adjudged to be true.”
Ondo gov: PDP, APC bought votes, says rights group
-
Sports3 days agoBREAKING: Super Eagles qualify for AFCON 2025
-
metro1 day agoSouth-West NURTW: Why we chose Oluomo over Baruwa
-
Aviation3 days agoDisaster averted as bird strike hits Abuja-Lagos Air Peace flight
-
metro2 days agoCourt orders varsity to pay lecturer N40m compensation for wrongful dismissal
-
Opinion2 days agoApomu king turns warmonger for PDP
-
Politics2 days agoOndo poll: Three gov candidates withdraw for Aiyedatiwa
-
News2 days agoLate COAS Lagbaja gets CFR honour, buried amid tributes
-
News4 hours ago[UPDATED] [Breaking] APC’s Lucky Aiyedatiwa wins Ondo governorship election