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The power structure within Tinubu’s administration is a complex web of formal positions and informal relationships based on decades of trust, loyalty, and political alliances. Key influential figures include:
Oluremi Tinubu (First Lady): As the president’s wife and a former senator, she wields “soft power” and has a significant, influential role as a critical support system and proxy within the government’s initiatives.
Kashim Shettima (Vice President): He plays a significant role, particularly in economic matters, and is a trusted confidant whom the President considers a key member of his “think-tank”.
Femi Gbajabiamila (Chief of Staff): As a long-time mentee and the president’s gatekeeper, he controls access to the President, manages appointments, and coordinates much of the presidency’s operations, making him a central figure in the power structure.
Wale Edun (Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy) and Yemi Cardoso (Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria): The government’s economic policies largely revolve around these two figures, who are trusted by Tinubu from their time working together in the Lagos State government.
Nyesom Wike (Minister of the Federal Capital Territory – FCT): Though a member of the opposition party (PDP), Wike is one of the most powerful ministers due to his strong personal relationship with Tinubu and his control over the politics in the oil-rich Rivers State, which he has leveraged to the president’s advantage.
Nuhu Ribadu (National Security Adviser): He is one of the few people who consistently has the President’s ear on critical national security matters.
Seyi Tinubu: The President’s son is also a power center, particularly among the youth demographic and some ministers who are said to defer to him on certain issues.
