President Bola Tinubu has ordered the recall of Salihu Abdullahi Dembos as the Director-General of the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA), effectively reversing earlier management reshuffles within the agency.
This directive was announced by Bayo Onanuga, the Presidential Spokesperson, emphasizing the restoration of continuity and respect for existing tenures.
Dembos, initially appointed by President Tinubu in October 2023, had briefly vacated the position due to fresh appointments announced in August 2025, which named Rotimi Pedro as the new NTA Director-General.
Alongside this change, several other key positions had new occupants: Stella Din was appointed Executive Director of News, Karimah Bello as Executive Director of Marketing, and Sophia Mohammed as Managing Director of NTA Enterprises Limited.
However, the President’s latest directive reinstates Dembos to complete his original three-year tenure, reversing the appointments of the newly named executives.
Similarly, Ayo Adewuyi has been recalled as the Executive Director of News to continue his tenure, which is set to end in 2027.
This is not the first time the Tinubu administration has reversed appointment decisions. A similar situation occurred in August when Muheeba Dankaka was relieved of her role as Executive Chairman of the Federal Character Commission mere hours after her reappointment for a second term was announced.
The Presidential Spokesperson explained that the recalls aim to ensure stability within state institutions and reaffirm that tenures previously granted will be honored despite intervening administrative changes.
The rationale behind the reversal has not been publicly detailed. However, observers note that such moves reflect the administration’s cautious approach to managing key appointments within government agencies, balancing political considerations with the need for operational continuity.
