Paul Ibe, the media spokesperson for former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, has claimed that President Bola Tinubu has effectively marginalized the National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu.
This allegation follows the recent appointment of Retired Major General Adeyinka Famadewa as the Special Adviser on Homeland Security.
According to Ibe, this move signals a significant shift in the administration’s security hierarchy, suggesting that Famadewa’s new role is intended to bypass the traditional authority of the NSA.
The appointment has sparked widespread debate among political observers, with many questioning whether the office of Homeland Security is designed to eventually replace or completely overshadow Ribadu’s current position.
Ibe suggested that the relationship between the President and the NSA soured following Ribadu’s recent official trip to the United States.
During that visit, Ribadu held high-profile meetings with U.S. Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio. The aide alleged that Ribadu’s decision to heavily publicize these meetings through various media outlets served as the “final straw” for the presidency.
Ibe insinuated that the public display of international diplomacy by Ribadu was viewed unfavorably by the villa, especially given the President’s own travel constraints regarding the U.S. He described the situation as a quiet replacement where a “son of the soil” has been brought in to take over the core responsibilities of national safety.
The aide further pointed out that the structural change appears to be modeled after the American system, yet it is being used as a tool for internal political maneuvering. He claimed that the decision-making process behind this change involved significant behind-the-scenes friction that is only now coming to light.