Youth Ministry Insider Claims Sacked Minister, Ibrahim Was A ‘Placeholder’

In a revealing turn of events following the recent cabinet reshuffle by President Bola Tinubu, insiders at the Ministry of Youth Development have disclosed that Dr. Jamila Bio Ibrahim, the sacked Youth Development Minister, was merely a ‘placeholder’.

This information comes amid the appointment of Ayodele Olawande as the substantive minister, a move that has raised eyebrows within political circles.

Sources close to the developments who spoke with Punch, stated that Olawande, who previously served as Minister of State in the same ministry, had always been the preferred candidate of Seyi Tinubu, the President’s son.

An official from the Education and Youth Development department, speaking on condition of anonymity, characterized Bio-Ibrahim’s tenure as fraught with political manipulations.

The official said, “The woman is a just victim of political manipulations. She didn’t enjoy being a minister because the system was not in her favour.

“The former Minister of State, Ayodele Ayowande, had been the choice of the presidency from day one. President Tinubu’s son, Seyi, wanted Ayowande to be the substantive minister from the start, but he didn’t have his way. They had since been working to take the woman out.

“One example is that in August this year, the woman wanted to hold a programme in Ondo State to dissuade the youth from joining the #EndBadGovernance protest, but she was frustrated out of it. The people who didn’t want the President to know she was active mobilised against her and she couldn’t hold the programme again. We knew she’d be relieved of her duties eventually because she didn’t have support from the political class.”