Presidency Denies Sack of Osinbajo’s Aides

After keeping mum for several hours, the presidency last night dismissed as untrue, the list, circulating in the media, containing the names of 35 aides of Vice President Yemi Osinbajo purportedly sacked on Tuesday night.

In a tweet last night, Senior Special Assistant to the Vice President, Mr. Laolu Akande, said the list was false.

“A list circulating in the media on the so-called sacked presidential aides is not genuine and ought to be ignored,” he tweeted.

There had been unconfirmed reports of the sack of some aides of the vice president Thursday.

The president, who is currently on a two-week private visit to London, had allegedly ordered the sack without any official statement.

The names of the allegedly sacked aides and their designations circulating Thursday are: AJibola Ajayi, Special Adviser, Legal Affairs; Lanre Osinbona, Senior Special Assistant, Information Communication Technology (ICT); Imeh Okon, Senior Special Assistant on Infrastructure; Jide Awolowo, Special Assistant, Oil and Gas; Lilian Idiaghe, Special Assistant, Research, Legal and Compliance; Arukino Umukoro, Special Adviser, Niger Delta; Bala Liman Mohammed, Senior Special Assistant, Economy and Edobor Iyamu, Senior Special Assistant on Niger Delta.

Others were Dolapo Bright, Senior Special Assistant, Agro Allied Value Chain; Toyosi Onaolapo, Special Assistant, Community Engagement; Gambo Manzo, Special Assistant, Political; Bisi Ogungbemi, Special Assistant, Political Matters; Edirin Akemu, Senior Special Assistant on Industry, Trade & Investment; Akin Soetan, Senior Technical Assistant on Economic matters; Aondaver Kuttuh, Technical Assistant, Rule of Law; Ife Adebayo, Special Assistant, Innovation and Yussuf Ali, Special Assistant, Power Regulations.

Also reportedly sacked were Tola Asekun, Senior Special Assistant on National Boundary Commission; Morakinyo Beckley, Special Assistant on Off-grid Power; Yosola Akinbi, Senior Special Assistant on National Economic Council (NEC); Tochi Nwachukwu, Special Assistant on Power Privatisation; Bode Gbore, Senior Special Assistant, Political; Abdulrahman Baffa Yola, Special Assistant, Political; Kolade Sofola, Special Assistant, Infrastructure; Ebi Awosika, Senior Special Assistant, Community Engagement; Muyiwa Abiodun, Senior Special Assistant, Power; Forri Samson Banu, Special Assistant, Entrepreneurship; Bege Bala, Special Assistant Bureau of Public Enterprises (BPE); Feyishayo Aina, Special Assistant, Community Engagement; Halima Bawa, Special Assistant, Community Engagement; Nkechi Chukwueke, Special Assistant, Community Engagement and Ilsa Essien, Special Assistant, Media.

But Akande said Thursday the list was untrue and should be ignored.

He also reacted to the attack on Vanguard’s photojournalist in the Presidential Villa, Mr. Abayomi Adesida, by the security aides of the vice president, saying issues bordering on the attack had been resolved.

Akande, who said he had apologised to Adesida for the embarrassment caused him by the incident, added that the action of the security aides was regretted.

“The needless scuffle between a villa accredited photographer, Mr. Abayomi Adesida, and one of our security aides earlier today has since been resolved.
“Incident is regretted and I have apologised to him for any embarrassment caused,” Akande tweeted.