EXCLUSIVE: Real reason Ajuri Ngelale stepped down as Tinubu’s spokesperson

 Joseph Akande

     Ajuri Ngelale     

Details have Disclosed regarding why Ajuri Ngelale, the spokesperson of President Bola Tinubu, stepped down from his position on Saturday.

While Mr Ngelale said he was stepping aside to deal with medical matters affecting his family, PREMIUM TIMES reported that he left the position after he became suspicious that he could be humiliated out of office.

The presidency has been shopping for an experienced and competent media professional to replace Mr Ngelale in the past weeks. Administration insiders say the journalist has so far failed to demonstrate sufficient capacity to effectively deliver on the job.

Mr Ngelale held two key positions simultaneously – special adviser to the president on media and publicity and special presidential envoy on climate action/ chairman, Presidential Steering Committee on Project Evergreen.

However, Premium Time reported that, the presidency recently directed Mr Ngelale to focus on his climate action role while another individual is appointed to serve as media adviser and spokesperson to the president.

But when Mr Ngelale expressed a preference to retain the media adviser position while stepping down from the Climate change role, the presidency declined.

Those familiar with the matter said he was told he could remain on the president’s media team but that he would still have to be bossed by a new appointee to the position.

This exchange and subsequent events that happened in the presidential villa rattled Mr Ngelale. For weeks, he was blocked from meeting Mr Tinubu and was also not included in the president’s delegation to China, our sources said.

President Tinubu, who came to power last year, appointed Mr Ngelale as his spokesperson in August 2023, urging him to bring his wealth of experience to the assignment.

Government sources told PREMIUM TIMES that Mr Ngelale was appointed on the recommendation of Seyi Tinubu, the president’s son.

But not long after the appointment, sources said it became clear to the president, his son and some members of his cabinet that Mr Ngelale lacked the requisite “experience, contacts and networks” needed for the job.

Before becoming Mr Tinubu’s media adviser, Mr Ngelale was one of the spokespersons for the presidential campaign council of the All Progressives Congress ahead of the 2023 general elections.