Why President Tinubu Reversed Recent NTA Appointments
Fresh details have emerged explaining why President Bola Ahmed Tinubu rescinded leadership appointments at the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA) just a week after approving them.
Initially, Tinubu had named Rotimi Pedro as the new Director-General of the NTA, replacing Salihu Dembos, along with three other senior appointments across the organization and its subsidiaries. However, the President later reversed those decisions, reinstating Dembos and the previously removed executives.
Presidency sources revealed that the reversal came after Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris—who oversees the NTA—formally expressed his displeasure over being left out of the appointment process. Reports indicate Idris only learned about the changes through media coverage, despite the agency being under his ministry’s supervision.
At the time the appointments were announced, Dembos and other senior NTA officials were reportedly accompanying the minister on a federal citizens’ engagement tour in Enugu and Ebonyi States, adding to the embarrassment.
Further investigation revealed that the original appointments were influenced by a presidential aide with a background in broadcasting. This aide had reportedly advised Tinubu that the NTA leadership was underperforming, losing viewership, and failing to effectively promote government programs—a narrative later challenged by the minister.
Upon returning from the Southeast, Minister Idris sought a meeting with the President to discuss his findings and requested permission to conduct a formal inquiry into the claims against the NTA leadership.
Quoting a senior source, Premium Times reported that the minister’s review found the allegations to be “spurious” and driven by individuals with vested interests aiming to take control of the state broadcaster.
After receiving the minister’s report, President Tinubu ordered the immediate reversal of the appointments, reinstating Dembos as Director-General and returning the previously displaced executives to their roles.
