Aso Villa, Abuja – Multiple media reports said on Sunday, September 8, President Bola Tinubuâs son, Seyi, who â together with Femi Gbajabiamila, the chief of staff, â engineered Ajuri Ngelaleâs appointment as the presidential spokesperson in July 2023.
TimesNow.com.ng had reported on Saturday, September 7, how Ngelale, announced that he would be proceeding on an indefinite leave of absence.
Some media reports claimed he (Ngelale) resigned while others said he was sacked.
TimesNow.com.ng reports that Seyi holds no official appointment but is considered one of the most influential individuals in the presidentâs administration.
Per a report by The Africa Report in July, at least five cabinet members in the Tinubu administration owe their appointments or portfolios to Seyi.
In March, Seyi trended on social media when at an official state visit to Qatar, the president breached official protocol by introducing his son ahead of all members of his delegation including the foreign minister.
Seyi, insiders say, works closely with the presidentâs adviser on domestic affairs, Toyin Subair, and Muri-Okunola through which they can influence appointments.
Through Seyi, many youths have received appointments in the Tinubu administration thereby increasing his powers in the present administration. Some of them include Ayodele Wisdom who serves as junior youth minister and Charles Odii who heads the Small and Medium-sized Enterprises Development Agency of Nigeria (SMEDAN), which disburses billions of naira in loans on behalf of the government.
TimesNow.com.ng gathered that at least 15 aides to the president came in through Seyi, including Nosa Asemota, Dada Olusegun, Damilotun Aderemi, and Moremi Ojudu.
List of Tinubu’s appointees reportedly recommended by Seyi below:
A source told FIJ in a report on Saturday, September 7, 2024:
Nosa met Seyi Tinibu at a friend’s wedding in November 2021.
Shortly after this meeting, Asemota divulged:
A day after his official swearing-in as Nigeria’s president in May 2023, Tinubu announced Asemota as his personal visual storyteller (or the official presidential photographer).
On the day of his appointment, Asemota paid tribute to Seyi. Check out his tweet below:
Olusegun is the special assistant to President Tinubu on social media.
He is also the national convener of the PBAT Media Centre.
Wisdom is currently the minister of state for youth under the Tinubu administration.
He previously served in the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari where he was the personal assistant to the special adviser innovation to the then-vice president, Professor Yemi Osinbajo.
