Buhari’s Cabal Worked Against Tinubu, Blocked His Ministerial Choices, Says Laolu Akande

Former Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo’s media aide, Laolu Akande, has alleged that members of the “cabal” in former President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration worked against Bola Tinubu’s political interests before his emergence as the All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential candidate in 2022.

According to Akande, the cabal within the Buhari presidency went as far as rejecting ministerial nominees that Tinubu had put forward, including Dele Alake, now minister of solid minerals, and Wale Edun, the former minister of finance. He described the rejections as a deliberate signal that Tinubu held no real influence over appointments in the administration.

What did they not do against President Tinubu? Tell me. Between 2015 and 2023? The man was marginalised. I saw it with my own eyes.

He claimed to have personally witnessed Tinubu being excluded during meetings, yet noted that the former Lagos governor chose to remain committed to the party. Akande’s remarks highlight his account of the political tensions surrounding Tinubu during Buhari’s administration and the challenges he allegedly faced before securing the APC presidential ticket.

In June 2022, then APC National Chairman Abdullahi Adamu announced Lawan as the party’s consensus presidential candidate, a move that sparked opposition from party members who insisted on a competitive primary. The APC subsequently held its presidential primary, where Tinubu defeated a field that included Lawan and Osinbajo.

According to Akande, the decision to reject Tinubu’s nominees was intended to demonstrate that Tinubu, despite his political influence, did not have the power to determine who would serve in the government.