President Muhammadu Buhari has directed Aso Villa General Administrative Officer, Abubakar Maikano to be acting as his Chief of Staff pending the appointment of a substantive CoS.
This development shows that the President is not in hurry to appoint Abba Kyari’s replacement. Kyari died last week Friday weeks after tested positive for coronavirus.
This is also as battle for the replacement for late Kyari intensifies with the President’s wife Aisha Buhari continues to slug it out with the cabal over whose candidate will emerge.
While a strong contender and former secretary to the government, Babagana Kingibe has been edged out, more entrants have come into the scene with reports indicating that former military governor of Lagos state and chieftain of the ruling All progressives congress, APC in Adamawa state, home of the first lady, retired Brigadier General Buba Marwa is being sponsored by Mrs Buhari.
The development is however, notwithstanding another fresh entrant in the person of the Comptroller General of Customs Service, a strong ally of the president, retired Col. Hameed Ali, as well as the man to beat who has the full backing of the President’s nephew, Aso Villa, strong man, Mamman Daura.
All indications have shown that Daura is not interested in Ali as Kyari’s replacement because of his closeness to the President and fears that he may rock their boat (the cabal). This is why the source noted that they are holding on to the candidature of the current education Minister, Mallam Adamu Adamu who is a staunch member of the Buhari kitchen cabinet
As the show of power continues at the country’s power house, indications also emerged that the President may not be in a hurry over a new Chief of staff as he has ordered Maikano to hence forth operate from his office and perform the duties of both Chief of Staff and General Administration Officer.
Inside Villa sources told the Nigerian Pilot Weekend that Maikano’s office which is strategically situated at the entrance to the president office is to henceforth receive all President’s correspondence, guests, booking of appointments and other chief of staff duties.
This paper also gathered that the President ordered that the office of the late Chief of Staff be put under lock.
According to the insider, the development is to forestall possible pilfering of sensitive, confidential national documents in possession of the late Chief of Staff before his death.
