…Inside Gbajabiamila’s Story And How Seyi and Remi’s Interests Clashed In Power Tussle – Who Won?
President Tinubu’s chief of staff, Femi Gbajabiamila is speculated to have fallen out with his principal, resulting in power tussle within the presidency as one powerful group pushed for his sack while the other fought against it – an event that brought to bare the cold war between the Tinubus who are bonded by providence and power, desperately working to arm twist each other to establish control within the Tinubu’s political dynasty.
The tussle plunged president Tinubu into labyrinth of family fight in Aso Rock villa–the Seyi Tinubu’s group and the Remi Tinubu’s united by mutual interest – to exert control or rather influence on the president – a father and a husband respectively; further complicating the ever increasing challenges of presiding over the most populous black nation in the world – a nation plagued with insecurity and economic hardship.
Femi Gbajabiamila has been a disciple of Tinubu, trusted for his unflinching loyalty and honesty to Tinubu and their political comradeship – an identity he bore courageously until the recent bribery allegation which rubbed a taint on their long-age alliance.
According to speculations, Femi Gbajabiamila, the president’s chief of staff betrayed the trust of his principal by reportedly selling appointments into the Tinubu’s government. This allegation was reportedly investigated and he was allegedly found culpable – an act the presidency considered punishable by sack or demotion. Recommendations were made for him to be removed as the president’s chief of staff having allegedly soiled the trust the president had for him.
He would be assigned to a ministry to head as a minister while the president’s private secretary, Hakeem Muri-Okunola would be promoted to the president’s chief of staff – Seyi Tinubu, the son of president Bola Ahmed Tinubu is reportedly the proponent of this agenda.
Seyi Tinubu is said to be exploiting Femi Gbajabiamila’s misstep to further his governorship ambition in Lagos.
He saw the allegation against Femi Gbajabiamila whom he considers a rival in the Lagos State governorship seat, as an opportunity to pitch his competence and trustworthiness to his father while leveraging Femi Gbajabiamila’s bribery allegation to argue that the former speaker of the house of representatives should not be trusted with the governorship seat of Lagos State – he argues that Gbajabiamila would rebel as Ambode did.
Clash of interest: First lady, Remi Tinubu who is uncomfortable with Seyi Tinubu becoming the next governor of Lagos State and who has been projecting Femi Gbajabiamila and Mudashiru Ajayi Obasa, the speaker of the Lagos State Assembly as credible and reliable prospective governors, wittingly intervened to stop Femi Gbajabiamila’s sack or demotion.
She argued speciously that the president’s outright disengagement of Femi Gbajabiamila or his demotion would disunite the political family of president Tinubu.
According to her, the president needs a united political family because of the 2027 general elections; she pointed out that the opposition politicians are growing in popularity and broadening their alliance across regions of the federation; hence, the president can not risk infighting within his political fold. Beneath her argument is her sworn determination to thwart Seyi Tinubu’s governorship ambition.
The president considered the argument from his wife and that of his son – not being oblivious of their hidden agenda.
The president’s decision: Femi Gbajabiamila would be given the Wale Edun’s treatment. He will remain the chief of staff but without influence, without the chief of staff’s responsibility and reliance from his principal. He is nominally the chief of staff but Hakeem Muri-Okunola bears the responsibility of the title.
On who becomes the next governor of Lagos State: Remi Tinubu’s backed Mudashiru Ajayi Obasa and Femi Gbajabiamila or Seyi Tinubu his son – only the president and his God know.
