More details have emerged regarding the abrupt departure of Ajuri Ngelale, a former spokesperson to President Bola Tinubu.
Though Ngelale cited a pressing family medical issue as the reason for his resignation, FIJ revealed that he was actually sacked by the President.
His exit stemmed from internal disagreements rather than personal matters.
Ngelale, who also held the role of special presidential envoy on climate action, reportedly clashed with Bayo Onanuga, the special adviser on information and strategy, in a longstanding power struggle.
Tensions between the two advisers caused confusion within the presidency due to overlapping duties, with Ngelale often asserting his seniority based on his previous government service.
Despite his claim of taking a leave for family reasons, it became clear that Ngelale’s strained relationships, particularly with Onanuga and key media figures, played a key role in his departure.
His relationship with journalists and media outlets was reportedly poor, contributing to the decision to ease him out of office.
Sources indicated that while Ngelale had the backing of influential figures such as Seyi Tinubu and Femi Gbajabiamila, his failure to address ongoing disputes and his perceived arrogance left the presidency with no choice but to orchestrate his resignation as a face-saving measure.
“Ngelale considered himself untouchable because he had the backing of the president’s son Seyi and Femi Gbajabiamila, the president’s chief of staff,” a source told FIJ.
“He was fired; I became aware of this on Tuesday, but I won’t rule out the possibility that it happened earlier. When he got the letter, he started to plead to be allowed to resign as a soft landing. He was eventually given a soft landing, which is understandable. News of his sacking in public would have thoroughly embarrassed not just Ngelale but the presidency too”, the source added.
