In a recent development, indications have surfaced suggesting that the Chief of Staff to the President, Femi Gbajabiamila, may be on the verge of losing his position following allegations of trading government appointments within President Bola Tinubu’s administration. It appears that there is a growing outcry among loyalists of Tinubu, determined to ensure Gbajabiamila’s departure from the Presidential Villa.
Notably, last week, President Tinubu appointed ten Resident Electoral Commissioners (RECs) for the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). However, sources have revealed that, since Tinubu took office, the Chief of Staff allegedly replaced several names initially approved by the President for appointments.
One such instance involved the replacement of the Ekiti REC with the name of a former commissioner who served under the previous Ekiti State Governor, Kayode Fayemi. According to insiders, this alteration did not align with Tinubu’s initial choice, which was Mrs. Oluwatoyin Babalola, the former Legal Adviser of INEC.
In response to these allegations, the President expressed his frustration, stating that he had signed off on names only to have them changed afterward. He admonished the Chief of Staff and demanded that the woman’s name be reinstated on the list.
Reports suggest that a plan is in motion to remove Gbajabiamila from the Villa, possibly through the offer of an ambassadorial position. Furthermore, it has been observed that the President’s Private Principal Secretary, Akeem Okunola, has begun to assume some of the Chief of Staff’s responsibilities.
Additionally, the President is assembling a team to assist in the management of appointments and affairs that had been handled by the Chief of Staff. The National Social Investments Programme (NSIP) has also come under scrutiny, with claims that the President’s preferred candidate, Halima Sheu, was not appointed to the position she was recommended for, raising concerns within the administration.
