President Bola Ahmed Tinubu had decided months before to replace Wale Edun as Finance Minister, according to Laolu Akande, a former presidential aide. Speaking on Sunrise Daily on Channels Television, Akande said Tinubu asked Edun to step down, citing health concerns, but Edun was initially unwilling to leave. Akande attributed the change to the rising influence of younger economic advisers Taiwo Oyedele and Zacch Adedeji, both of whom have gained significant presidential trust. He stated that the president now relies more on Oyedele than on Edun, particularly in shaping economic policy. Tensions developed between Edun and the technocrats due to conflicting policy positions, with presidential attention increasingly favoring Oyedele's recommendations. Akande noted that Oyedele's formal positioning within the Ministry of Finance reflects a shift toward a new generation of economic leadership. "The president depends on those two very much," Akande said, referring to Oyedele and Adedeji. "For the most part, the president was listening to Oyedele more than he was listening to Edun." He added that Edun, a long-time ally of Tinubu, resisted the shift, leading to ongoing friction.
Tinubu's reliance on Oyedele and Adedeji while retaining Edun for months despite health concerns shows a disconnect between private decisions and public continuity. Edun remained the face of economic policy even as key decisions were shaped by others behind the scenes. Nigerians were watching a minister whose influence had already waned, operating in a role increasingly detached from real authority. This undermines public clarity on who is actually steering the economy.
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