Ajuri Ngelale, once hailed for his brilliant oratory and deep voice, may have publicly bowed out of his role as Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, citing family health concerns as earlier reported by Apples Bite Magazine, but the truth, as revealed by FIJ, is far more dramatic. At the heart of his abrupt resignation was a festering feud with Bayo Onanuga, the Special Adviser on Information and Strategy—a conflict that rocked the very core of the presidency and ultimately led to Ngelale’s forced exit.
While Ngelale claimed he stepped down due to “medical matters presently affecting [his] immediate, nuclear family,” insiders say this was a smokescreen. The real story is one of power, ambition, and bitter rivalry that spiralled out of control.
An Office Divided: Ngelale vs. Onanuga
The battle lines were drawn long before Ngelale’s resignation. Following the 2023 presidential election victory of Bola Tinubu, Ngelale, who had served under President Buhari, expected to maintain his authority in the new government. But with Onanuga’s appointment as Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, a power struggle quickly ensued.
Ngelale, 38, saw himself as a senior figure, given his tenure in Buhari’s administration where he served as Senior Special Assistant on Public Affairs. Onanuga, at 67, came into the scene with years of media experience and credibility as a former Managing Director of the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN). But unlike Ngelale, Onanuga had been a close ally of Tinubu for decades, a fact that Ngelale underestimated.
The tension between the two men became obvious as civil servants and staff in the villa grew increasingly confused about their overlapping roles. Both held “Special Adviser” titles in similar portfolios, a stark contrast to the clearer hierarchy during the Buhari era when Femi Adesina and Garba Shehu divided responsibilities without stepping on each other’s toes.
But in this case, there was no clear chain of command. Ngelale, positioned as the president’s spokesperson, effectively assumed control, wielding influence that irked Onanuga.
Ngelale’s ‘Blockade’ and Onanuga’s Marginalization
One of the most glaring indicators of their feud was the lack of an office for Onanuga when he first assumed his position. Sources within the presidency told FIJ that Onanuga was forced to “squat” in the office of Tunde Rahman, the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity.
It wasn’t until much later that Onanuga was allocated an office, one that had been previously used by Wale Edun, Tinubu’s special adviser on monetary policy, and Zacheus Adedeji, special adviser on revenue. The delay in securing a workspace for someone of Onanuga’s stature highlighted the deep-seated friction between the two men.
“Ajuri controlled the villa’s civil service structure, and by extension, communication from the presidency,” an insider revealed to FIJ. “Ngelale made it clear to the staff that no statement from Onanuga could go out without his approval. This was the ultimate slight for Onanuga, who had been a media veteran for decades before Ngelale even entered journalism.”
This move sparked resentment among staffers and created a toxic working environment. Many civil servants were left in a quandary, afraid that showing loyalty to one of the advisers would trigger the wrath of the other. Their mutual animosity not only affected the presidency’s communication strategy but also created a high-pressure atmosphere in an already complex administration.
Ngelale: The Behind-the-Scenes Battle for Tinubu’s Ear
As tensions escalated, Ngelale’s apparent power rested heavily on his perceived closeness to the president’s son, Seyi Tinubu, and Chief of Staff Femi Gbajabiamila. Some even speculated that his influence was greater than that of Onanuga, who despite his ties to Tinubu, found himself isolated from the presidential inner circle.
“It wasn’t just about their roles; it was about access to the president,” one source explained. “Onanuga was kept at arm’s length, while Ngelale had the president’s ear. He had the backing of Seyi and the Chief of Staff, which made him feel invincible.”
The strained relationship between the two men did not go unnoticed. Attempts were made to mediate their growing feud, with the Minister of Information, Mohammed Idris Malagi, calling for peace talks on several occasions. Onanuga, who was reportedly open to reconciliation, often found himself snubbed by Ngelale, who claimed he was too busy for such meetings.
“Ngelale saw no reason to have peace talks because he thought he had the upper hand,” said one of the sources. “He considered himself untouchable.”
The Final Straw: Public Perception and Tinubu’s Discontent
Despite Ngelale’s backing from the president’s inner circle, his downfall came from his handling of the media. His relationships with journalists, particularly in the presidential press corps, were fraught with tension. Reporters, editors, and correspondents found him to be aloof and dismissive, qualities that hampered his ability to effectively manage the president’s public image.
“Ajuri had a very poor relationship with the press,” noted a source. “He had a reputation for being arrogant and disrespectful to journalists, both in private and public settings. This was unlike Onanuga, who, despite the feud, was well-regarded within the media circle.”
As the discord became more evident, it was inevitable that word reached President Tinubu. FIJ understands that a case was made to the president, pitching Ngelale’s combative relationships and disruptive presence in the villa as the reason for the administration’s faltering communication efforts. Tinubu, seeing that Ngelale’s feud with Onanuga was harming the presidency’s public relations, finally had enough.
A Forced Exit Disguised as a Resignation
The decision to remove Ngelale was swift. According to FIJ, Ngelale received his termination notice but quickly pleaded for a “soft landing,” fearful of the public embarrassment that would follow. After deliberation, the presidency agreed to allow him to announce his resignation on his terms, framing his exit as a personal choice driven by family medical concerns.
In his statement, Ngelale claimed that he was taking an indefinite leave to address a medical situation affecting his immediate family. But behind the scenes, his ouster was already sealed, marking the end of an explosive power struggle in the villa.
Ngelale’s feud with Onanuga, once whispered about in the corridors of power, had now become an open secret. But even in the final moments, neither Ngelale nor Onanuga commented on the reports surrounding the feud. Both remained tight-lipped as the dust settled over one of the most intense power battles in Nigeria’s recent political history.
Source: Foundation for Investigative Journalism (FIJ)
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