A report has claimed that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s close aides are currently struggling over who replaces the Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Ajuri Ngelale.
In a surprise move on Saturday, Ngelale announced that he was going on an indefinite leave of absence due to health issues in his nuclear family.
He said he submitted a memo to the Chief of Staff to the president, Femi Gbajabiamila, on Friday.
However, sources close to the president has informed The Whistler that Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, is hoping to take over Ngelale’s job.
But Onanuga is facing a tough battle for the position from two of Tinubu’s closest media aides, Sunday Dare and Tunde Rahman.
Dare, the immediate past Minister of Youths and Sports, was Tinubu’s personal Chief of Staff before he was appointed minister by former President Muhammadu Buhari.
Rahman, on the other hand, has a rich media experience which saw him work as editor in Punch and ThisDay newspapers before Tinubu appointed him as his personal Chief Press Secretary.
“The three are in contention for the job, they’re all pulling strings at the villa to get the job,” said the source, without mentioning who is favourite.
But according to the source, Gbajabiamila is the man that holds the ace.
“It’s whoever he picks that gets the job, he may even pick outside of them,” the source said.