Ajuri Ngelale, special adviser to President Bola Tinubu on media and publicity, says he will be embarking on an “indefinite leave of absence to frontally deal with medical matters” affecting his immediate, nuclear family.
In a statement issued on September 7, Ngelale said the decision “was taken after significant consultations with my family over the past several days as a vexatious medical situation has worsened at home”.
“While I fully appreciate that the ship of state waits for no man, this agonizing decision — entailing a pause of my functions as the Special Adviser to the President on Media & Publicity and Official Spokesperson of the President; Special Presidential Envoy on Climate Action, and Chairman, Presidential Steering Committee on Project Evergreen — was taken after significant consultations with my family,” he said.
Ngelale said he “looks forward to returning to full-time national service when time, healing, and fate permit”.
“I respectfully ask for some privacy for my family and I during this time,” he added.
On July 31, 2023, Tinubu appointed Ngelale, an ex-aide to former President Muhammadu Buhari, as his special adviser on media and publicity.
On May 19, 2024, the president appointed Ngelale as the special presidential envoy on climate action.
