Buhari names Adesina, Shehu as spokesmen

Femi Adesina, Mallam Garba Shehu

President Muhammadu Buhari on Sunday named the President of the Nigeria Guild of Editors, Mr. Femi Adesina; and the Director, Media and Publicity of the All Progressives Congress Presidential Campaign Council, Mallam Garba Shehu, as spokesmen.

While Adesina will serve as the Special Adviser to the President (Media and Publicity), Shehu will be the new Senior Special Assistant (Media and Publicity).

According to a statement made available to journalists by Shehu, the President also approved the appointment of Mallam Lawal Kazaure as the State Chief of Protocol (SCOP).

The statement did not indicate the job schedule of Adesina and Shehu as their two offices appear similar.

Apart from being the current President of NGE, Adesina is the Managing Director/Editor-in-Chief of The Sun newspapers.

Shehu was the President of the NGE 16 years ago.

Kazaure is a career Foreign Service official and currently serves in Aso Rock Villa as a Special Assistant (Presidential Matters).

Meanwhile, a desire by Buhari to ensure zonal balancing is delaying a formal announcement of all his appointees.

It was learnt in Abuja on Sunday that some party leaders were impressing it on the President to be mindful of the constitutional provision which stipulates respect for federal character even in his choice of personal staff.

Section 14 sub-section (3) of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, states, “The composition of the government of the federation or any of its agencies and the conduct of its affairs shall be carried out in such a manner as to reflect the federal character of Nigeria and the need to promote national unity, and also to command national loyalty, thereby ensuring that there shall be no predominance of persons from a few states or from a few ethnic or other sectional groups in that government or any of its agencies.”

It was gathered that the President, who appears set to appoint a former Chief of Army Staff, Gen. Abdurrahman Danbazau (retd.), as the National Security Adviser, is also contemplating appointing Col. Hameed Ali (retd.), as his Chief of Staff.

However, some party leaders close to him are of the view that he should not concentrate these appointments in the North-West.

A highly placed member of the APC, who pleaded anonymity because of the sensitivity of the issue, said a list was still being drawn up.

He said, “He (Buhari), is President now, he dictates his pace of work. I understand the list is being made up and that it is likely that Dr. Ogbonaya Onu will emerge as the Secretary to the Government of the Federation.

“I also heard that there are some issues over (who will be) Chief of Staff, the President wants to announce everything together.”

Further findings revealed that the President was tinkering with an earlier list he had prepared after further consultations.