Tinubu’s SGF, chief of staff at daggers drawn over control of multi-billion naira NDDC as presidency shutdown ministry of Niger Delta

Reports reaching our newsroom indicates that President Tinubu’s secretary to the government of the federation, George Akume and chief of staff, Femi Gbajabiamila are on warpath over who controls the money spinning NDDC.

This follows the reported scrapping of the ministry of Niger Delta Affairs by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu. The reported scrapping is gaining ground due to non-attachment of any minister to the ministry.

According to our reporter the presidential directive on the transfer of NDDC to the Presidency has generated a frosty relationship between the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Senator George Akume, and Chief of Staff (CoS) to the President, Femi Gbajabiamila.

Akume and Gbajabiamila are said to be at each other’s throat over whose office would control and supervise the development agency in the Presidency.

NDDC was under the supervision of the SGF before it was moved to the ministry by former President Mohammadu Buhari in 2019.

A source, who hinted at the acrimony between Akume and Gbajabiamila, over the management of NDDC within the Presidency, said, “Even before NDDC lands in the Presidency, the SGF (Akume) and CoS to the President (Gbajabiamila) are already at war over whose office would manage the commission within the Presidency.

“The war between the two top officials of the Presidency is intense and severe. Two of them are mustering their contacts to prevail on and get the nod of Mr. President to be in charge of the agency, which is regarded as a cash cow and a veritable platform for self-enrichment.

“Ordinarily, the agency should have moved without let or hindrance to the office of SGF because that was where it was before it was taken to the ministry by former President Mohammadu Buhari in 2019 but the interest of the all-powerful CoS (Gbajabiamila) has altered the permutations. Gbajabiamila, who is the head of the new cabal in the villa, is interested in having everything under his control, and with his closeness to Mr. President, he is always having his way.”

However, special adviser on media and publicity to the president, Mr. Ajuri Ngelale, said the government was in the process of taking shape and cautioned against speculation.

“Federal administration is an evolving concern. I think we should allow the government to fully form following the swearing-in of the ministers before we run to any conclusions about the future of any particular ministry or parastatal. I have not been briefed about any purported movement or placement of agencies.

“We should not seek to create false impressions of rivalry or conflict within government. Media should rightly report on real developments. It can afford to avoid the temptation of manufacturing angles to report on,” he said