President Bola Tinubu’s Special Adviser on Media and Public Communications, Mr. Sunday Dare, has refuted claims that the current administration is deliberately marginalizing politicians loyal to former President Muhammadu Buhari.
Appearing on the Mic On podcast with journalist Seun Okinbaloye, Dare responded to mounting criticisms that the Tinubu-led government had replaced members of the Buhari-era Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) bloc with his long-time allies popularly referred to as the ‘Lagos boys’.
Seun asked pointedly if President Tinubu had “chased out the Buhari boys and brought in Lagos boys,” in what many have perceived as a shift in political influence within the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
Dare, however, dismissed the notion, stating that the composition of the president’s cabinet was constitutionally within his right.
“When a new government comes in—and this is constitutional—it is the right of the president to build his cabinet. You can’t take that away,” Dare said. “The first criterion for you to be appointed is that you are a Nigerian. It’s not whether you are a Tinubu boy or a Buhari boy.”
Pressed further on why most of the country’s key economic positions are held by individuals closely associated with President Tinubu, Dare explained that trust and loyalty play a significant role in leadership decisions.
“As a leader, you must also bring in lieutenants that you trust,” he said. “When he was governor, he had people that served him and over the years, they have been with him throughout the journey.”
He added that while trust is a factor, there is no targeted attempt to marginalize any faction within the APC. “I don’t think there is any deliberate attempt to sideline anyone.”
Emphasizing loyalty to the nation rather than individuals, Dare noted: “Any oath you take when you’re sworn in is not to any president, but to the Nigerian constitution and the Nigerian people.”
The remarks come amid growing internal tensions within the APC, with some former Buhari allies expressing concerns about being sidelined from decision-making and key appointments since Tinubu assumed office in 2023.
Sunday Dare’s comments appear aimed at calming those tensions and reinforcing the administration’s commitment to national unity over intra-party divisions.
