FULL LIST: Bayo Onanuga, 6 Other Names of Ajuri Ngelale’s Possible Replacement

FULL LIST: Bayo Onanuga, 6 Other Names of Ajuri Ngelale’s Possible Replacement

Legit.ng journalist, Ridwan Adeola Yusuf, has over 9 years of experience covering public affairs and governance.

Aso Villa, Abuja - Ajuri Ngelale, the special adviser to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on media and publicity, has gone on an “indefinite leave”.

A statement he signed and submitted to the chief of staff to the president, Femi Gbajabiamila, stated that his decision was tied to medical matters presently affecting his immediate nuclear family.

Full list of names of Ajuri Ngelale’s possible replacement surfaces
Some media reports claim Ajuri Ngelale was fired by President Tinubu; others said he resigned. Photos credit: @AjuriNgelale
Source: Twitter

Ajuri Ngelale: Possible new presidential spokesman

The development means President Tinubu is now in the hunt for a new spokesman.

Who are the likeliest candidates to replace Ngelale? Legit.ng highlights some names. Check them out below:

Read also

Ajuri Ngelale: Northern group warns Tinubu against appointing Bwala as spokesperson, gives reason

1) Tolu Ogunlesi

Ogunlesi is a former special assistant on digital/new media to ex-President Muhammadu Buhari.

The 42-year-old is a former winner of the Arts and Culture Prize of the defunct CNN Multichoice African Journalism Awards.

2) Bayo Onanuga

Onanuga is the current special adviser on information and strategy to President Tinubu.

He co-founded TheNews magazine and is a former managing director (MD) of the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN).

3) Sunday Akin Dare

Dare served as the minister of youth and sports from 2019 to 2023. He previously held the position of executive commissioner of the stakeholder management at the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), having been appointed by then-president, Buhari in August 2016.

Although Dare was widely tipped for appointment as a minister in Tinubu's first cabinet, he was not chosen.

The 58-year-old is the proprietor of Omoluabi 87.7 FM, Mokola, Ibadan, a radio station he started in January 2024.

Read also

Tinubu told to sack Buhari’s appointee as fuel scarcity deepens cost of living crisis

4) Tunde Rahman

Rahman is presently the senior special assistant (SSA) on media to President Tinubu.

Rahman was media aide and chief of staff to Tinubu before he was elected president.

5) Temitope Ajayi

Ajayi, who described himself as a political actor, serves as the senior special assistant to President Tinubu on media and publicity.

Ajayi is a public relations expert and writer who worked on the Tinubu campaign in addition to having a long history of working at the Tinubu media office. He is also known to be affiliated with the Western Post newspaper owned by Tunde Rahman. He studied at the Lagos Business School and Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), Ile-Ife, Osun state.

6) Daniel Bwala

Borno-born Bwala worked with a presidential hopeful, Atiku Abubakar. He was a spokesperson for the former vice-president's presidential campaign organisation, a position he held during the 2023 presidential campaign.

Presently an open supporter of President Tinubu, Bwala has been touted as a potential candidate for the vacant spokesperson role.

Read also

Opposition parties react amid reports Tinubu may sack ministers, details emerge

7) Otega Ogra

In July 2023, President Tinubu appointed Ogra as his senior special assistant on digital/new media.

Six years earlier, Ogra was among 105 Nigerians, aged 18 to 31, shortlisted for The Future Awards Africa.

An alumnus of Babcock University, Ogra worked at GTBank as corporate communications manager, and later at Wema Bank Plc, as head, brand management and head, corporate communications and digital marketing unit.

He joined the BUA Group in 2015 as group head, corporate communications, a position he occupied until he joined Tinubu's government.

Read more on Ajuri Ngelale

Tinubu reacts as Ngelale goes on leave

Earlier, Legit.ng reported that President Tinubu accepted the decision of his special adviser on media and publicity, Ngelale, to proceed on an indefinite leave of absence 'due to family health issues'.

Read also

Atiku’s camp reacts as Nigerian minister calls Tinubu “Daddy” in China, video trends

The presidency stated that Tinubu accepts Ngelale's reasons for the leave and hopes for a speedy recovery and full restoration to health.

PAY ATTENTION: Сheck out news that is picked exactly for YOU ➡️ find the “Recommended for you” block on the home page and enjoy!

Source: Legit.ng

Authors:
Ridwan Adeola avatar

Ridwan Adeola (Current Affairs Editor) Ridwan Adeola Yusuf is a Current Affairs Editor at Legit.ng and a certified journalist with over 9 years of experience. He edited Politics Nigeria's articles, was the Acting Editor of AllNews Nigeria and Fact-Checking Researcher (Africa Check). He received his HND in Mass Communication from The Polytechnic Ibadan. He received a Certificate of Achievement (Journalism Clinic’s Fix The Leak masterclass, 2021) and also completed Google News Initiative's Advance digital reporting curriculum. Contact him at ridwan.adeola@corp.legit.ng.