Laolu Akande, the former media aide to former Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo, has alleged that powerful factions within the administration of former President Muhammadu Buhari worked against the political interests of Bola Tinubu prior to the 2022 presidential primary. Speaking during an interview, Akande stated that influential members of the administration attempted to secure the All Progressives Congress presidential ticket for former Senate President Ahmad Lawan. According to him, these figures sought to position Lawan as the consensus candidate of the ruling party.
Akande further asserted that Tinubu faced systemic marginalization during Buhari's eight-year presidency despite his instrumental role in establishing and securing electoral victories for the party. He noted that he personally witnessed instances where Tinubu was excluded from significant political meetings. In addition to internal party opposition during the primary season, Akande pointed to contentious policies such as the central bank's naira redesign initiative implemented shortly before the general election as further evidence of the political headwinds confronting Tinubu's campaign at the time.
The former presidential aide also claimed that the previous administration rejected specific individuals recommended by Tinubu for ministerial positions, including prominent figures like Dele Alake and Wale Edun. He stated that these rejections were calculated moves designed to demonstrate a limitation of Tinubu's political influence within the federal structure. These revelations shed new light on the reported political friction and behind-the-scenes power struggles that characterized the relationship between factions of the former administration and the current president.
Source reporting: Arise News — 2026-10-24 18:16:12
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