How Tinubu's Spokesman, Ajuri, Quits Amidst Internal Pressure From Presidency Cabal

Fresh facts have emerged about the sudden resignation of Ajuri Ngelale, special adviser to President Bola Tinubu on Media and Publicity.

Ngelale announced his resignation on Saturday, citing health challenges in his family.

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In a statement, Ngelale said he had submitted a memo to the Chief of Staff to the President, informing him of his decision to proceed on an indefinite leave of absence.

“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.

“While I fully appreciate that the ship of state waits for no man, this agonizing 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,” Mr Ngelale said.

However, insiders, according to Daily Nigerian, have revealed that Ngelale’s resignation was not entirely voluntary.

According to the sources, Ngelale was given a soft landing to quit as presidential spokesman, but he chose to resign from all his positions.

Since his appointment, there had been internal pressure to replace him with someone with better media relations skills.

Ngelale had also been at odds with other media aides working for the president, allegedly sidelining them in the running of the office.

Sources say Ngelale had taken on too many roles, including Special Presidential Envoy on Climate Action and chairman of the Presidential Steering Committee on Project Evergreen.

These additional roles created a strain and gave the presidential cabal a reason to convince the president to replace him.

The cabal had asked Ngelale to choose between being a presidential spokesman and Special Presidential Envoy on Climate Action, but he refused to give up the media role.

In the end, Ngelale decided to quit all his roles.

In the coming days, President Tinubu may pick Sunday Dare, his former chief of staff as his replacement.