Former presidential aide Laolu Akande has criticised President Bola Tinubu’s management of the Presidency, arguing that the appointment of Hakeem Muri-Okunola to help organise the president’s schedule raises questions about Chief of Staff Femi Gbajabiamila’s effectiveness.
Akande made the remarks while speaking on the Naija Unfiltered Podcast, where he assessed Tinubu’s leadership and the influence of key officials within his administration.
According to the former media aide, the president’s reliance on Muri-Okunola, his Principal Private Secretary, to manage aspects of his schedule suggests that the Chief of Staff may not be performing his responsibilities as expected.
Akande argued that the Presidency should have a strong management structure capable of coordinating the president’s activities without requiring additional intervention from another senior official.
“This is the problem. The president has a chief of staff, for instance, even the people in that Villa will tell you that the chief in front of the staff is removed because of all the kinds of stuff that have happened and then the president has to go and bring Hakeem Muri-Okunola (HMO) to be organising his schedule,” Akande said.
He maintained that Muri-Okunola’s involvement in organising the president’s schedule raised questions about the effectiveness of the Chief of Staff.
“If the chief of staff was doing his job properly, he wouldn’t need HMO; that’s the truth,” he said.
Akande Says Tinubu Has Not Delivered His Best
Beyond the roles of Gbajabiamila and Muri-Okunola, Akande argued that Tinubu had yet to deliver his full potential as president because of the limited influence of some capable individuals within his administration.
He acknowledged that the government had competent officials but suggested that they lacked the authority and influence necessary to contribute fully to effective governance.
“So, the president has not managed to give us his best, and there are very good people in this administration. There are good people, few people, but they don’t have that kind of influence that people like Fashola, Osinbajo, Aregbesola, Cardoso,” he said.
Akande cited former Lagos State Governor Babatunde Fashola, former Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, former Osun State Governor Rauf Aregbesola and Central Bank of Nigeria Governor Olayemi Cardoso as examples of experienced figures whose influence and capabilities he believes could strengthen the administration.
His comments highlighted what he sees as a gap between the presence of capable individuals in government and their ability to shape presidential decisions and policy implementation.
Akande Praises Cardoso’s Role at the CBN
Akande also praised Cardoso’s performance as governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), suggesting that Tinubu appeared willing to give him room to operate because of their longstanding familiarity.
“The president even doesn’t try to interfere with Cardoso because he knows him. I think they call him Head Master or whatever. He looks everything. The president doesn’t have people like that around him,” Akande said.
His remarks suggested that the president could benefit from having more influential and experienced officials who can exercise responsibility and contribute meaningfully to governance.
Cardoso’s position at the apex bank, according to Akande’s assessment, illustrates the importance of allowing capable officials sufficient room to carry out their duties.
Who Is Hakeem Muri-Okunola?
Hakeem Muri-Okunola previously served as Lagos State Head of Service before moving to the Presidency as Tinubu’s Principal Private Secretary.
His experience in the Lagos State civil service and his subsequent role in the Presidency have placed him among the senior officials involved in supporting the president.
Akande’s comments have brought renewed attention to the respective responsibilities of the Principal Private Secretary and the Chief of Staff in managing the president’s schedule and coordinating activities within the Presidency.
The remarks also form part of a broader assessment of Tinubu’s leadership structure, the influence of senior government officials and the extent to which their experience is being utilised to improve governance.
Akande previously served as Senior Media Aide to former Vice President Yemi Osinbajo during the administration of the late President Muhammadu Buhari.