*The new Chief of Staff to President Buhari, Prof. Gambari (right) and his Boss
At last, President Muhammadu Buhari has replaced his late Chief of Staff (CoS), Mallam Abba Kyari who became the early fatalities of the dreaded Coronavirus (COVID-19) while in active service. The late Kyari has been replaced with Nigeria’s former Minister of Foreign Affairs, Professor Ibrahim Agboola Gambari. Effective immediately, the Prof. has officially become the new Chief of Staff to the President.
Since Kyari died last month www.newsbintsng.com gathered that a number of personalities have been strategically lobbying for the plum position. The rumour mills were awash that Alhaji Babagana Kingibe, who was running mate to the late Chief MKO Abiola, the presumed winners of the freest and fairest election in Nigeria was most favoured for the job. But the lot has finally fallen on Gambari, who also served as Buhari’s Foreign Minister and confidant when Buhari was Nigeria’s military Head of State in the 1980s.
It was also gathered that the new CoS who met with the President at about 8:00a.m. on earlier today at the State House, Abuja will resume at the State House tomorrow Wednesday May 13, 2020. Time will tell if the polished Prof. will wield as much power as his predecessor who many regarded as Nigeria’s de-facto President. During the late Kyari’s regime as CoS, governors, Ministers among other members of the top echelon of the Nigerian society had to pass through him before they could be allowed to see the president.
The new CoS is a scholar and seasoned diplomat and had served Nigeria in the past as minister of External Affairs between 1984 and 1985. He was also appointed by former United Nations Secretary Ban Ki-moon and the chairperson of the African Union Commission as Joint African Union-United Nations Special Representative for Darfur in 2010. He also served as Special Adviser on the International Compact with Iraq and Other Issues for the UN Secretary General. Prior to that, he served as Under-Secretary Generay of the United Nation for the Department of Political Affairs (DPA). Gambari is an Ilorin prince who was born on November 24, 1944, according to his biography.