Atiku’s aide reveals why Tinubu appointed Bianca Ojukwu

Demola Olarewaju, Special Assistant on Digital Media Strategy to former PDP presidential candidate Atiku Abubakar, recently criticized President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s nomination of Bianca Ojukwu as Minister of State for Foreign Affairs. In a cabinet reshuffle, Tinubu nominated Bianca, widow of the late Biafra leader, along with six other new ministers, pending Senate approval. 

The nominees include Dr. Nentawe Yilwatda (Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction), Muhammadu Dingyadi (Labour and Employment), Dr. Jumoke Oduwole (Industry, Trade, and Investment), Idi Mukhtar Maiha (Livestock Development), Yusuf Ata (Housing and Urban Development), and Dr. Suwaiba Ahmad (State Education). Tinubu’s move is seen by some as an effort to build influence in Nigeria’s Southeast.

Olarewaju, however, dismissed the appointment as political maneuvering, asserting it wouldn’t sway Southeastern votes for Tinubu in the 2027 elections. Sharing his views on X, he claimed Bianca holds "zero electoral value" in the region, and that her nomination was merely a strategic ploy to justify potential election manipulation by APC and INEC. He argued that Tinubu’s approach has consistently been about consolidating power, without genuine alliances.

Olarewaju emphasized, "Bianca plays no significant role in the Southeast political landscape, but APC doesn’t need her to. The real strategy lies in leveraging her image to validate a broader electoral scheme." He further claimed that Tinubu’s political maneuvers are always driven by self-interest, with no genuine ideological commitment—asserting that this latest appointment is simply another piece in his pursuit of dominance.