Ajuri Ngelale, Nigeria’s former Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, was reportedly fired amid a power struggle with Bayo Onanuga. Contrary to his claims of resigning for family medical issues, insiders reveal his departure highlights internal conflicts affecting presidential communications under Bola Tinubu's administration.
Ajuri Ngelale, the eloquent broadcast journalist who made a name for himself as the Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, recently announced his resignation, citing a "vexatious medical situation" affecting his family. However, multiple sources within the presidency have revealed that his exit was not voluntary but rather a result of being fired amid a power struggle with Bayo Onanuga, the Special Adviser on Information and Strategy.
Ngelale's abrupt departure surprised many Nigerians, who were led to believe that he was stepping down for personal reasons. In his resignation memo, he expressed his desire to focus on his family's health issues and mentioned submitting a request for an indefinite leave of absence. However, insiders indicate that the real reason for his dismissal stemmed from a long-standing feud with Onanuga that became increasingly untenable following Bola Tinubu’s election as president in 2023.
The tensions between Ngelale and Onanuga were well-known within the corridors of power, with civil servants often caught in the middle. Ngelale's attempts to block Onanuga's influence further strained their relationship, ultimately leading to Ngelale's downfall. His standing with the president reportedly diminished as it became clear that his discordant relationship with both Onanuga and the media was obstructing effective communication for the presidency.
Despite his efforts to secure a more graceful exit by publicly resigning, sources suggest that Ngelale's departure reflects a broader struggle for power within the administration, raising questions about the dynamics of presidential communications in Nigeria.
