Powerful political figures within President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s inner circle are actively working to exclude former Lagos State Governor Babatunde Raji Fashola from the Federal Government due to fears that his strict governance standards would disrupt certain practices within the administration, former presidential aide Laolu Akande has alleged.
Speaking during an interview on the Naija Unfiltered podcast hosted by Symfoni TV and published on Friday, October 23, 2026, Akande suggested that key political actors surrounding the President preferred to keep the former minister at a distance.
Akande, who served as Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity to former Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, noted that while personal fatigue might play a small role in Fashola’s ongoing absence from cabinet affairs, deliberate pushback from figures close to the President remains the primary factor.
Elaborating on Fashola’s administrative track record during his tenure as Governor of Lagos State from 2007 to 2015 and later as Minister of Works and Housing under former President Muhammadu Buhari, Akande highlighted his uncompromising disposition toward governance standards.
He emphasized that Fashola is well known for refusing to accommodate questionable practices, asserting that those looking to engage in such compromises recognized that Fashola would not tolerate them within the administration.
Despite his non-inclusion in the current cabinet since President Tinubu assumed office in May 2023, Akande noted that Fashola maintains a warm personal relationship with the President.
He observed that the former governor has suffered no public fallout with the President, though subtle political undercurrents continue to influence personnel decisions behind the scenes.
Akande further questioned whether President Tinubu was surrounding himself with advisors who feel comfortable offering dissenting opinions, arguing that effective leadership requires individuals capable of challenging executive decisions when necessary.
Akande did not disclose the identities of the individuals he accused of resisting Fashola’s return, nor did he provide specific examples of the governance practices in question.
As of Saturday, October 24, 2026, presidential spokespersons, including Special Adviser on Information and Strategy Bayo Onanuga and Special Adviser on Media and Publicity Ajuri Ngelale, have not issued an official response to the claims. Representatives for Babatunde Fashola have similarly maintained silence regarding the podcast remarks.
