Ajuri Ngelale, the spokesperson for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, has officially stepped down from his role.
In a statement released on Saturday, Ngelale, 39, announced that he is taking an indefinite leave of absence to address serious medical issues affecting his immediate family. He emphasised that the decision was made after extensive consultation with his family and that his primary focus now is their well-being.
In addition to resigning as the president’s spokesperson, Ngelale also relinquished his roles as the Special Presidential Envoy on Climate Action and Chairman of the Presidential Steering Committee on Project Evergreen.
He formally communicated his decision to Chief of Staff Femi Gbajabiamila via a memo submitted on Friday.
Ngelale expressed his hope of returning to national service once his family’s health concerns have been resolved, stating, “I look forward to returning to full-time national service when time, healing, and fate permit.” He further requested privacy for his family during this challenging time.
Tinubu accepts request, asks Nigerians to respect his decision
President Tinubu, in a statement released by the Presidency, accepted Ngelale’s decision with understanding and extended his heartfelt prayers to him and his family.
Tinubu acknowledged Ngelale’s contributions, particularly his efforts in climate action and national discourse, and wished him a speedy recovery.
The Presidency also asked for the public to respect Ngelale’s privacy during his absence, though no immediate replacement has been named.
Resignation links to power play in the presidency
While the official reason for Ngelale’s exit centers around family health issues, there are speculations that internal political dynamics and dissatisfaction with his performance in the role may have contributed to his departure.
According to TheCable, by the time Ajuri Ngelale announced his decision to step down as presidential spokesman on Saturday, he had already fallen out with several key officials within the presidency. These included Chief of Staff Femi Gbajabiamila, Principal Secretary Hakeem Muri-Okunola, and Chief of State Protocol Victor Adeleke. Notably, Seyi Tinubu, the president’s son, who—along with Gbajabiamila—had initially championed Ngelale’s appointment as Special Adviser on Media and Publicity in July 2023, was also among those he had alienated.
George Akume, Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), had reportedly raised concerns with President Tinubu about Ngelale’s conduct. Akume complained that Ngelale was creating and publicly announcing new positions without consulting the SGF’s office, which oversees political appointments. This move added to the tension between Ngelale and senior presidency officials.
In May 2024, Ngelale was appointed Special Presidential Envoy on Climate Action, Chairman of the Presidential Steering Committee on Project Evergreen, and Secretary of the Presidential Committee on Climate Action and Green Economic Solutions. Leveraging his close ties to President Tinubu and his son, Ngelale had proposed these positions and secured the president’s approval.
However, he angered Akume and others by issuing a press statement announcing his appointments without going through the proper channels. This incident further expanded the circle of his detractors within the presidency, and Akume reportedly confronted the president about it.
Despite expectations that Ngelale would be relieved of his spokesperson duties after the
climate change appointment, he retained both roles for three months, a move that sparked resentment among stakeholders in the climate sector, who viewed it as a “power grab” and a violation of established laws.
“Ajuri behaves as if he owns Aso Rock,” a senior insider remarked just days before Ngelale’s departure. Three days later, Ngelale was gone.
According to insiders, Ngelale had been given the choice to either remain as presidential spokesman or focus on his climate change role. He initially asked for time to think it over but eventually chose to continue as spokesperson. However, he was informed that he would now require supervision, a clear sign that his performance had been deemed insufficient.
Many goofs of Ajuri
Ngelale’s tenure was marred by several high-profile missteps. One of his more notable blunders came in September 2023 when he incorrectly announced that President Tinubu was the first African president to ring the closing bell at Nasdaq.
He also prematurely declared that the United Arab Emirates (UAE) had lifted its visa ban on Nigeria, leading to widespread media backlash. These errors contributed to a growing perception that he was not suited for the job.
“Some of his press statements were simply childish,” one insider remarked, citing a July 2024 social media post where Ngelale boasted about breaking the State House record for most statements issued in a single day. Additionally, he was criticised for his lack of leadership, rarely giving direction to his team or holding meetings.
“Ajuri was running a one-man show, playing team members against each other and only dealing with the people he personally brought into the team,” another source revealed.
President Tinubu, who had initially been impressed by Ngelale’s performance during a CNN interview in May 2023, began to question why his spokesman was no longer appearing regularly on television, which had been one of his key strengths. Though Ngelale resumed TV appearances, it became clear that he was losing his grip on Aso Rock’s power dynamics.
The roots of Ngelale’s eventual downfall can be traced back to the power play that unfolded during his appointment. Dele Alake, a former commissioner of information in Lagos state and long-time ally of Tinubu, had been positioned to take the role of special adviser on media and strategy. However, Seyi Tinubu, working closely with Gbajabiamila, pushed for Ngelale’s appointment instead, sidelining Alake, who was later named minister of solid minerals.
Ngelale’s early mistakes were frequently pointed out as reasons why he needed oversight. In October 2023, Bayo Onanuga, a veteran journalist and former managing director of the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), was appointed special adviser on information and strategy to the president to help unify the communications team. However, Ngelale refused to collaborate with Onanuga and continued reporting directly to President Tinubu, bolstered by the support of Gbajabiamila and Seyi Tinubu.
Ironically, Ngelale had initially been reluctant to accept the role of presidential spokesman, having expressed a desire to pursue other paths outside government following his four-year stint as part of President Muhammadu Buhari’s communications team. It was Seyi Tinubu who convinced him to take the position, unknowingly setting him up as a pawn in a larger political chess game.
Ultimately, Ngelale’s support base evaporated, and he was left with little choice but to step down. He had fallen out with those who had once backed him, and the power play he had once leveraged now turned against him, leaving him to bow out of the presidency.
Who is Ajuri
Ajuri Ngelale was born on November 13, 1986, in Platteville, Wisconsin, United States. He completed his education in the U.S. before returning to Nigeria in 2011 for the mandatory National Youth Service Corps (NYSC).
Ngelale began his journalism career during his NYSC at Africa Independent Television (AIT). Upon completing his service, he was retained by AIT, where he worked as an investigative reporter and later as a news editor, producer, and presenter. During his time at AIT, he produced two highly acclaimed public affairs documentaries: ‘State of the Nation’ (2012) and ‘Diary from the Delta’ (2016).
In 2016, Ngelale joined Channels Television as a co-anchor of the popular breakfast show, ‘Sunrise Daily’. He also partnered with the United States Government’s Mandela Washington Fellowship to produce and present ‘Africa’s Future Leaders’, a program highlighting young African leaders making impactful changes in their communities.
In 2019, he left Channels TV to serve as the lead media content producer for the All Progressives Congress (APC) Next Level Presidential Campaign for the reelection of President Muhammadu Buhari. Following the successful campaign, President Buhari appointed Ngelale as Senior Special Adviser on Public Affairs, where he was later seconded to the office of Vice President Yemi Osinbajo.
In October 2022, Ngelale was appointed co-principal spokesperson for the Tinubu-Shettima Presidential Campaign Organization. After Tinubu’s victory, Ngelale was named the official spokesperson of President Bola Tinubu on July 31, 2023.
In addition to his media role, on May 19, 2024, Ngelale was appointed as Nigeria’s first Special Presidential Envoy on Climate Action.
He was also made the Chairman of the Presidential Steering Committee on Project Evergreen, Nigeria’s first green industrial zone, and the Secretary of the Presidential Committee on Climate Action and Green Economic Solutions.
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