The real reason behind Ajuri Ngelale's sudden exit from his role as spokesperson of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has come to light.
Ngelale, in a statement he personally signed on Saturday, said he was proceeding on an indefinite leave of absence to enable him to attend to the medical issues affecting his immediate nuclear family.
The presidential spokesman said he had on Friday submitted a memo to the Chief of Staff to the President, Femi Gbajabiamila, informing him of his decision to also step down as Special Presidential Envoy on Climate Action, and Chairman of the Presidential Steering Committee on Project Evergreen.
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Ngelale however added that he was looking forward to returning to full-time national service “when time, healing, and fate permit.”
In the one-page four-paragraph statement posted on his Facebook page, he stated, inter alia: “On Friday, I submitted a memo to the Chief of Staff to the President informing my office that I am proceeding on an indefinite leave of absence to frontally deal with medical matters presently affecting my immediate, nuclear family.
“While I fully appreciate that the ship of state waits for no man, this agonising decision – entailing a pause of my functions as the Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity and official Spokesperson of the President; Special Presidential Envoy on Climate Action, and Chairman, Presidential Steering Committee on Project Evergreen, was taken after significant consultations with my family over the past several days as a vexatious medical situation has worsened at home.
“I look forward to returning to full-time national service when time, healing, and fate permit.
“I respectfully ask for some privacy for my family and me during this time,” the statement added.
Tinubu accepts Ngelale's request, asks Nigerians to grant him privacy
Meanwhile, President Tinubu has accepted Ngelale’s request to proceed on an indefinite leave of absence due to personal and health reasons.
In a statement released yesterday to State House Correspondents by the Presidency, President Tinubu expressed understanding and sympathy for Ngelale’s decision, extending heartfelt prayers and best wishes to him and his family during this challenging time.
The statement further said the president hopes for a speedy recovery and full restoration to health.
Tinubu also acknowledged Ngelale’s tireless efforts and dedication to serving the nation, thanking him for his remarkable contributions, particularly in advancing national discourse and leading efforts on climate action.
The presidency, however, requested that Ngelale and his family's privacy be respected during his leave of absence.
The statement did not specify who would assume Ngelale’s responsibilities in his absence.
“The president has received the memo from Chief Ajuri Ngelale, Special Adviser to the President on Media & Publicity and Official Spokesperson of the President as well as Special Presidential Envoy on Climate Action, informing of his decision to proceed on an indefinite leave of absence for personal and health reasons.
“The president accepts his reasons for the leave, fully understands them and sympathizes with the circumstances that have led to this seemingly difficult decision.
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“While extending his heartfelt prayers and best wishes to Chief Ngelale and his family during this challenging moment, the President hopes for a speedy recovery and full restoration to health.
“The president notes his tireless efforts and dedication in serving the nation, and thanks him for the remarkable contributions he made in his various capacities, especially in advancing national discourse and leading efforts on climate action and other key initiatives.
“The president wishes him well in all his future endeavors. During this period, we kindly ask that the wish for privacy of Chief Ngelale and his family be respected,” the statement read.
Forced to Exit over Power Play not 'Vexatious Medical Situation'
While there are mixed reactions over his exit, a fresh detail revealed Ajuri left due to power play and might likely not be returning from the long leave to the presidency.
It was gathered that the presidency has been shopping for an experienced and competent media professional to replace Ngelale in the past weeks.
According to Premium Times, insiders say the journalist has so far failed to demonstrate sufficient capacity to effectively deliver on the job.
Ngelale held two key positions simultaneously – special adviser to the president on media and publicity and special presidential envoy on climate action/ chairman, Presidential Steering Committee on Project Evergreen.
However, sources said, the presidency recently directed Ngelale to focus on his climate action role while another individual is appointed to serve as media adviser and spokesperson to the president.
But when Ngelale expressed a preference to retain the media adviser position while stepping down from the Climate change role, the presidency declined.
Those familiar with the matter said he was told he could remain on the president’s media team but that he would still have to be bossed by a new appointee to the position.
This exchange and subsequent events that happened in the presidential villa rattled Mr Ngelale. For weeks, he was blocked from meeting Mr Tinubu and was also not included in the president’s delegation to China, our sources said.
President Tinubu, who came to power last year, appointed Ngelale as his spokesperson in August 2023, urging him to bring his wealth of experience to the assignment.
It was gathered that Ngelale was appointed on the recommendation of Seyi Tinubu, the president’s son.
But not long after the appointment, sources said it became clear to the president, his son and some members of his cabinet that Mr Ngelale lacked the requisite “experience, contacts and networks” needed for the job.
Before becoming Tinubu’s media adviser, Ngelale was one of the spokespersons for the presidential campaign council of the All Progressives Congress ahead of the 2023 general elections.
He started his journalism career in 2011 as a broadcaster with the Africa Independent Television and later with Channels TV. His total media experience is below eight years.
Ngelale previously served as senior special assistant on public affairs in the office of former Vice President Yemi Osinbajo.
Sources in the presidency said when Ngelale saw that he could no longer access the president, he decided to withdraw from the job. “He was basically isolated even by those who brought him to take the position,” one of our sources said.
President Tinubu and his team expected better performance from Ngelale, presidency insiders said.
“Except for his occasional TV appearances, Mr Ngelale was unreachable even to journalists,” an official said. “He hardly responds to messages or return calls.”
Another official said the spokesperson had little contact with local and international media and commanded little respect from media owners, editors, and leading journalists in Nigeria.
“It is a misnomer and a miscalculation for the President to have appointed such a junior journalist to such a senior position. It is no surprise that he could not deliver as expected,” the official said.
Last year, the Nigerian Institute of Public Relations (NIPR) queried Mr Ngelale’s qualifications and competence as the president’s spokesperson.
The NIPR said Mr Ngelale was not ‘fit’ to hold that “exalted position” because he lacked the basic “knowledge and requisite training on public relations.”
Who is Ajuri Ngelale?
Ngelale was born in Platteville, Wisconsin, United States, on November 13, 1986. He schooled in America until 2011 when he returned to Nigeria for the mandatory National Youth Service Corps (NYSC).
He started journalism career as a youth corps member at Africa Independent Television (AIT). After completing his national service, he was retained by AIT as an investigative reporter and later served as a news editor, producer and presenter.
At AIT, he produced two critically acclaimed public affairs documentary series State of the Nation (2012) and Diary from the Delta (2016). He left AIT in 2016 and joined Channels Television where he served as a co-anchor of popular breakfast programme, Sunrise Daily.
In partnership with the United States Government’s Mandela Washington Fellowship, Ngelale also produced and presented Africa’s Future Leaders which documented young African leaders uplifting disadvantaged population through their individual efforts.
In 2019, he resigned from Channels TV to become lead media content producer for the All Progressives Congress (APC) Next Level Presidential Campaign for the reelection of President Muhammadu Buhari under Buhari/Osinbajo presidential Campaign organization.
Following their victory at the poll in 2019, President Buhari appointed Ngelale as his Senior Special Adviser on Public Affairs but he was seconded to the office of ex-Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo.
In October 2022, Ngelale was appointed co-principal spokesperson of Tinubu-Shettima Presidential campaign Organization. On 31 July 2023, president Bola Tinubu appointed Ngelale his official spokesperson.
On 19 May 2024, Tinubu appointed him as the first Special Presidential Envoy on Climate Action for Nigeria.
He was also appointed as the Chairman of the Presidential Steering Committee on Project Evergreen, Nigeria’s first green industrial zone and as Secretary of the Presidential Committee on Climate Action and Green Economic Solutions.
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