Ajuri Ngelale, Special Adviser to President Bola Tinubu on Media & Publicity, has announced his decision to embark on an indefinite leave of absence from his government positions due to what he described as ‘urgent family medical issues’
Ajuri, who is also the Official Presidential Spokesperson, Special Presidential Envoy on Climate Action, and Chairman of the Presidential Steering Committee on Project Evergreen dropped the announcement on his facebook page on Saturday morning after submitting a memo to the Chief of Staff to the President about the decision.
“On Friday, I submitted a memo to the Chief of Staff to the President informing my office that I am proceeding on an indefinite leave of absence to frontally deal with medical matters presently affecting my immediate, nuclear family.
“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 over the past several days as a vexatious medical situation has worsened at home.” Ngelale said
According to the Journalist turned politician, he would “return to full-time national service when time, healing, and fate permit.”, while asling for “some privacy for my family and I during this time.”
Ngelale was appointed in October 2022 as co-principal spokesperson for the Tinubu-Shettima Presidential campaign, gaining visibility through appearances on national and international media outlets. Following Bola Tinubu’s election, Ngelale was appointed as the President’s official spokesperson on July 31, 2023.
On May 19, President Tinubu named Ngelale as Nigeria’s first Special Presidential Envoy on Climate Action. Concurrently, he was appointed Chairman of the Presidential Steering Committee on Project Evergreen, overseeing Nigeria’s inaugural green industrial zone. Ngelale also assumed the role of Secretary for the Presidential Committee on Climate Action and Green Economic Solutions, a committee chaired by President Tinubu himself.
