List Of Individuals That Could Be GMB's Chief Of Staff

Barely 48 hours to the inauguration of President-elect, Muhammadu Buhari, some names have been springing up in the polity as likely persons to be in the race to emerge as Buhari’s chief of staff.

Profiles these individuals who might be in charge of the federal government bureaucracy in few days time. Read below:

1. General Abdulrahman Bello Dambazau (rtd): A highly decorated retired Nigerian Army officer,  Dambazau possesses many military honors and awards, qualifications and commendations. He is a strong ally of the President-elect and has been among his closest associates since he left active service. He has written so many published papers on the United Nations, the Media, Human and Drug Trafficking, as well as on Democracy and the Rule of Law among other topics. He is thorough professional that will appeal to Buhari because of his maturity and experience.

General Abdulrahman Dambazau (rtd)

2. Senator Adamu Aliero: 58-year old Aliero was the governor of Kebbi State from 1999 to 2007  after which he became a Senator representing Kebbi Central Senatorial District in the upper chamber, all under the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). However, he didn’t complete his tenure as a senator as he was appointed by former president, late Umaru Musa Yar’adua on the 18th of December 2008 as the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja. He lost his job as the FCT minister after out-going president, Goodluck Jonathan dissolved the Yar’adua’s cabinet after he was affirmed as Nigeria’s Acting President in March 2010. Aliero has since decamped to the All Progressives Congress (APC) and has been one of Buhari’s trusted associates.

Senator Adamu Aliero
3. Babagana Kingibe: Call him a political cat with nine lives and you won’t be wrong. He held many high-level Nigerian governmental posts under the military government of General Sani Abacha, among which include Minister of Foreign Affairs, Minister of Internal Affairs, Minister of Power Steel, Ambassador to Greece and Pakistan. Under late Yar’adua, he was then appointed the Secretary to the Federal Government but was sacked on the 8th of September 2008, after allegedly spreading rumours about Yar’adua’s health in a bid to take over the government. Kingibe was recently nominated as a member of Buhari’s inauguration committee and it is believed that he is being prepared for a higher office, chief of which is the Chief of Staff to the Buhari.

Babagana kingibe

4. Chief Audu Ogbeh: Benue-born Ogbeh, who used to be the National Chairman of the PDP is one of the very few decent politicians around. The 67-year old politician, used to be a lecturer at the Institute of Education, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria between 1972 – 1976 and headed the Department of Humanities at the Murtala College of Arts, Science and Technology between 1977-1979. He is the Chairman and managing Director, Efugo Farms, Makurdi and a member of Eisenhower Exchange Fellowships Incorporated, based in the United States of America. Ogbeh is believed to be level headed and a perfect fit for the position. His candidacy is been pushed by many chieftains of the party who believe Ogbeh has done so much for the APC.

Chief Audu Ogbeh
5. Sam Nda-Isaiah: Sam Nda-Isaiah is the founder of Leadership Newspapers Group and a was a presidential aspirant on the platform of the APC during the last elections. He has firmly established himself as a pro-good governance exponent.Well versed, a professional to the core and a detrabilised Nigerian, some APC chieftains are pushing for his appointment because of his apolitical outlook. He is likely to get a look in by Buhari who has openly expressed his willingness to work with professionals strictly.

Sam Nda-Isaiah
Meanwhile, a recent report claims that the incoming administration of Muhammadu Buhari, will likely stick to just 19 ministers in its cabinet.