Demola Olarewaju, serving as the Special Assistant on Digital Media Strategy to former People’s Democratic Party (PDP) presidential candidate Atiku Abubakar, expressed strong criticism toward President Bola Ahmed Tinubu following his decision to appoint Bianca Ojukwu as Minister of State for Foreign Affairs. Olarewaju voiced skepticism about the political value of this appointment, describing it as an ineffective tactic for gaining support in the Southeast.
According to reports, President Tinubu made this appointment as part of a significant cabinet reshuffle on Wednesday, nominating Ambassador Bianca along with six other new ministers, whose roles are subject to Senate confirmation.
In addition to Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu for the role of Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, the ministerial nominees include Dr. Nentawe Yilwatda for Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction, Muhammadu Dingyadi for Labour and Employment, and Dr. Jumoke Oduwole for Industry, Trade, and Investment.
The other nominees are Idi Mukhtar Maiha for Livestock Development, Yusuf Ata for State, Housing and Urban Development, and Dr. Suwaiba Ahmad for State Education.
Many political analysts and observers have interpreted the appointment of Bianca, who is the widow of the late Biafra leader, as a strategic move by President Tinubu to build stronger ties and garner more support within the South-East, a region considered crucial for political influence.
Responding to the appointment in a statement shared on his X handle, Olarewaju argued that Bianca’s appointment would not significantly benefit Tinubu's standing in the Southeast in the 2027 election. He insisted that Bianca has limited electoral influence in the region, and thus, her appointment would not be enough to sway voters in Tinubu’s favor.
Olarewaju further suggested that, in his opinion, the appointment of Bianca is merely part of a broader strategy by the All Progressives Congress (APC) to influence the outcome of the 2027 election through alleged manipulative tactics, rather than a genuine effort to earn voter support in the region.
The statement from Olarewaju reads in part: “Understand first of all that Tinubu is nothing, if not political. Everything he does is about power. If he opposes subsidy in 2012 – it is power. If he upholds it in 2024, it is for power.”
“He can say ‘Yoruba Ronu’ to appeal to Yoruba ethnocentrists, yet also say ‘One Nigeria’ when necessary. I’m not sure that man has had even one genuine friendship in the past three decades unless there is some political leverage or advantage to be gained.”
“In the current political landscape, Bianca is a ‘nobody’ in the Southeast’s political configuration. However, it is crucial to remember that APC has governors in two Southeastern states, along with all three senators from Ebonyi, two from Imo, and one from Abia – where Deputy Speaker Benjamin Kalu is from, and where there are discussions about establishing a Bola Tinubu University of Nigerian Languages.”
“Recall also that Bola Tinubu and the APC scored more votes in the Southeast than Atiku Abubakar and the PDP, largely because of the sentiment of ‘it is the turn of the South’ or ‘let Tinubu have it if not Obi, but not a Fulani candidate.”
“Thus, while Bianca’s role may not sway voters directly, she represents a piece in a larger strategy intended to justify potential actions by APCNEC (APC and INEC) in preparation for alleged election manipulation.”