How Buhari’s Govt Sidelined Tinubu — Ex-Presidential Aide

Laolu Akande, former Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity to ex-Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, has alleged that President Bola Tinubu was marginalised within the All Progressives Congress during the administration of the late President Muhammadu Buhari.

Akande said he witnessed occasions when Tinubu was sidelined at party meetings despite his contributions to Buhari’s emergence as the APC’s presidential candidate in 2015.

He made the claims during an interview on the Naija Unfiltered podcast, published by Symfoni TV on Friday.

Akande said he attended meetings where Tinubu was allegedly placed behind him, describing the treatment as part of the challenges the current president faced within the party between 2015 and 2023.

The claims could not be independently verified, and Akande did not provide specific details about the meetings or the circumstances surrounding the alleged incidents.

He also alleged that some people Tinubu nominated for ministerial positions under Buhari were rejected, with other candidates selected instead.

Akande cited the nominations of Alake and Edun, claiming that the decisions were intended to demonstrate that Tinubu could not dictate appointments within the administration. He did not provide further details about the nomination process or identify those responsible for the alleged decisions.

According to Akande, Tinubu remained in the APC despite the alleged treatment, continued his political activities and waited for an opportunity to pursue his presidential ambition.

He also referred to the controversy surrounding the naira redesign policy ahead of the 2023 general election as one of the political challenges Tinubu faced before succeeding Buhari.

Akande’s comments come as political parties prepare for the 2027 general election, with internal party relations and opposition unity featuring prominently in political discussions.

The former presidential aide also argued that opposition parties must develop the capacity to withstand pressure from the ruling party rather than attribute their difficulties solely to government interference.

Turning to the opposition’s prospects, Akande urged former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar to put aside his personal ambition and help unite opposition parties ahead of the next election.

He argued that Atiku should be prepared to make sacrifices, including stepping aside from his presidential ambition if necessary, to support a broader alliance capable of challenging the APC.

Akande maintained that personal ambition should not take precedence over efforts to build a united opposition.