An Abuja based newspaper on Thursday revealed names and portfolios of some of the aides of Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, who were sacked by President Muhammadu Buhari.
Although the presidency also insisted that there was no rift between the president and the vice president, multiple presidency sources confirmed the sack of the aides of the vice president, heightening the tension in the country’s seat of power amidst insinuations that the unfolding drama was about the 2023 presidential election.
The newspaper which said it obtained the list exclusively from a reliable source inside the villa, revealed that prominent on the list of the affected aides is Ajibola Ajayi, the daughter of former governor of Oyo state, Isiaka Abiola Ajimobi.
She was appointed Special Assistant, Legal to the President (VP’s office) in August 2019 and a former SA to the President on Bureau of Public Enterprises, BPE (VP’s office) from October 2015 to May 2019.
Also on the list are Lanre Osinbona, the Senior Special Assistant (SSA) on ICT; Imeh Okon, SSA on Infrastructure; Jide Awolowo, SA, Oil & Gas; Gambo Manzo, SA Political and Edobor Iyamu, SSA, Niger Delta.
The list also includes Lilian Idiaghe- SA, Research,Legal and Compliance, Arukino Umukoro- SA, Niger Delta, Bala Liman Mohammed- SSA Economy, Dolapo Bright -SSA, Agro Allied Value Chain, Toyosi Onaolapo- SA, Community engagement, Gambo Manzo- SA, Political, Bisi Ogungbemi -SA, Political Matters, Edirin Akemu -SSA, Industry,Trade & Investment, Akin Soetan -STA, Economic matters, Aondaver Kuttuh -Technical Assistant, Rule of Law, Ife Adebayo- SA, Innovation, Yussuf Ali -SA, Power regulations, Tola Asekun -SSA, National boundary commission, Morakinyo Beckley -SA, Off grid power, Yosola Akinbi -SSA, NEC,
Others are Tochi Nwachukwu -SA, Power Privatisation, Bode Gbore -SSA, Political, Abdulrahman Baffa Yola -SA, Political, Kolade Sofola -SA, Infrastructure, Ebi Awosika -STA, Community Engagement, Muyiwa Abiodun -SSA, Power, Forri Samson Banu -SA, Entrepreneurship Bege Bala -SA, BPE, Feyishayo Aina -SA, Community engagement Halima Bawa -SA, Community Engagement Nkechi Chukwueke -SA, Community engagement Gambo Manzo -SA, Political Ilsa Essien -SA, Media.
The vice president reportedly had over 80 aides who were deployed in many strategic positions, with sources around the corridors of power
A presidency source said letters relieving the aides of the vice president of their appointments were issued to those affected on Wednesday through the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation.