Aliyu Audu, the Senior Special Assistant to President Bola Tinubu on Public Affairs, has resigned from his position. His resignation was tendered in a letter dated June 8, 2025, addressed to President Tinubu and submitted through the office of the President’s Chief of Staff, Femi Gbajabiamila. Audu had been appointed to the role on October 9, 2023, following a nomination by Ajuri Ngelale, then Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, on August 26, 2023. The resignation is effective immediately.

In his formal resignation letter, Audu expressed his gratitude to President Tinubu for the opportunity to serve, stating, “I remain deeply grateful to you, Mr President, for the opportunity to serve my fatherland under your visionary leadership.” He also thanked Ajuri Ngelale for his confidence. Audu described his tenure as an “honour to contribute to the public communication efforts of this administration” and extended his “highest esteem and continued prayers for the success of your leadership and the progress of our beloved nation.”

While the official letter did not specify reasons for the abrupt departure, a personal statement attributed to Audu subsequently surfaced online, detailing his motivations. In this statement, Audu clarified, “I have seen many comments about my resignation and I must say it is not act of rebellion but of conscience.” He elaborated that his core reason was a refusal “to be used directly or indirectly as an instrument to reduce Nigeria to a one-party state,” viewing such a role as “a betrayal of both divine favour and democratic principle.”

Audu further articulated his stance in the personal statement, emphasizing that “True democracy thrives on healthy competition, not political domination.” He warned against silencing opposition: “If we now begin to silence or crush opposition simply because we have the upper hand, then we are no different from the very system we once criticized under Obasanjo in 2003. Such a path is not only politically reckless; it is spiritually dangerous.” He added that suppressing alternative voices “runs contrary to the divine order, which upholds freedom of choice and diversity of thought.” Audu called for building a Nigeria where strength lies “not in uniformity, but in the maturity to compete with ideas, vision, and integrity.”

Despite his resignation over political principles, Audu affirmed his continued support for the Tinubu administration's economic reforms. “I will continue to support our government in power not just because I helped bring it but also because I believe in the success recorded in the area of economic reforms,” he wrote. However, he highlighted a divergence in political views: “We just differ on political views as I pride myself with being a progressive and a promoter of democratic values which seems to be lost in the unholy alliance of PBAT with Wike.” His statement also included more informal remarks: “That does not mean our gbas gbos will seize o. We still here for the attacks and counterattacks. Oya Agbadorians over to you.”

Audu’s resignation came just a week after he publicly defended the Tinubu administration's policies. During an appearance on Channels Television’s “The Beam” on June 2, 2025, he urged Nigerians to be patient with the president’s economic reforms, projecting significant job creation in "another four to six years." He also highlighted initiatives like the Nigerian Credit Guarantee Scheme, with its ₦100 billion initial fund, aimed at improving Nigerians' spending power, and drew comparisons with the development timelines of countries like Singapore and India, suggesting Nigeria could progress faster.

As of the time of reporting from one of the sources, the Presidency had not yet officially responded to Aliyu Audu’s resignation.