Nigerian President, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, has allegedly appointed Jamiu Abiola, the son of late Chief Moshood Abiola (MKO), the winner of the annulled June 1993 presidential election, as special assistant (SA) on special duties.

It was reported that the president confirmed Jamiu's appointment in a letter he sent to the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF) before he left for the United Nations summit in New York. Abiola, who graduated from New York University in the United States, has been deployed by the president in the office of Vice President Kassim Shetimma to assist the Tinubu-Shetimma-led administration in achieving the promises made to Nigerians during the 2023 presidential poll.

“I am pleased to inform you that the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, His Excellency Bola Ahmed Tinubu, has approved your appointment as Special Assistant to the President on Special Duties (Office of the Vice-President),” the letter sighted by THISDAY read. It is believed that the appointment was in deference to the late Abiola’s accomplishments in the country and abroad.

Jamiu Abiola, who is a polyglot, also holds postgraduate certificates from New York University with a specialization in translating Arabic, French, Spanish, and German languages into English. Aside from these languages, Abiola is also fluent in French, Portuguese, Yoruba, Hausa, Japanese, Igbo, Fulani and Kanuri languages.

Coincidentally since 2015, he has been engaged by the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) on freelance, to translate documents from French into English and to draft summary reports during conferences and council sessions.

He is also translating over 50,000 words monthly for the world’s largest translations agency, specializing in technical, financial and patent translations following intensive testing. Abiola is Director of Statutory Compliance and Indigenous Growth at the Pilgrims Africa, a global security company with over 3,000 employees and offices across over 20 countries. He is also the Chief Executive Officer of NNPC mega station, a business that he had managed over a decade and guided to record about N3 billion annual sales.

The spokesperson of the Northern Elders Forum, Hakeem Baba-Ahmed, has been appointed by President Bola Tinubu as the special adviser on political affairs to Vice President Kashim Shettima. His appointment surprised many as he has been a strong critic of the APC-led administration over the years.

Baba-Ahmed's appointment was made known on Monday, September 18, via a social media post on X, formerly Twitter. In another development, Tinubu appointed Hakeem Muri-Okunola, the Lagos State Head of Service, as his principal secretary.

The 51-year-old lawyer would reunite with Tinubu years after they worked together in Lagos state. In 2001, Tinubu appointed him as a special assistant during his stint as governor of Lagos.

Tinubu also appointed several other special assistants recently including Tanko Yakasai, Adejoke Orelope-Adefulire, and Moremi Ojudu.