EXCLUSIVE: Promotion of Tinubu’s ADC shelved as retired generals intervene

 

The controversial plan to decorate Nurudeen Yusuf, aide-de-camp (ADC) to President Bola Tinubu, as a one-star general on Monday evening was shelved at the last minute after an intervention by two former chiefs of army staff, According to  TheCable. 

Yusuf, who was only decorated as a colonel last January, was to be promoted to the rank of brigadier-general through “special presidential promotion”.

Under normal process, an officer has to be a colonel for at least four years after which he or she will attend the National Defence College (NDC) before they are considered for promotion.

The approval to bypass the process was conveyed in a letter from the office of the national security adviser (NSA) to the chief of army staff.

The leaked letter was dated December 12, 2025, and was signed by Nuhu Ribadu, the NSA.

In the letter, Ribadu said Yusuf will be retained as the president’s ADC despite the promotion.

No brigadier has ever been ADC to the president of Nigeria, leading to further disquiet within the military establishment.

Ahead of the planned decoration on Monday, the minister of defence, Chris Musa — who is a retired general — and the chief of army staff, Waidi Shaibu, a lieutenant general, had cut short their visit to Lagos state and returned to the federal capital.

However, two highly respected former army chiefs eventually succeeded in persuading Tinubu to shelve the plan because of the dangers to the military establishment, TheCable said.

A presidential source told said that the promotion is not going to happen “anytime soon”.

‘CONSEQUENCES OF ILLEGAL PROMOTION IN THE MILITARY’

There had been complaints by military experts that this was going to be a “bad precedent”.

Yusuf had been previously accused of wielding undue influence in the promotion and retention of military officers because of his closeness to the president.

Yusuf was crowned as the monarch of Ilemona land in Oyun LGA of Kwara state in July 2024.

However, he is expected to fully assume the traditional role when he retires from the military.