The last may not have been heard about late Abba Kyari, the former Chief of Staff (CoS) to President Muhammmadu Buhari.
Based on the roles he was assigned, Kyari was seen as the de facto President as he took firm control of the machinery of governance.
President Buhari had in August last year, directed incoming ministers to pass all requests for meetings with him through his chief of staff, Abba Kyari.
The President had while giving a closing remark at a presidential retreat for minister’s designate in Abuja, stated, “In terms of coordination, kindly ensure that all submissions for my attention or meeting requests be channeled through the Chief of Staff, while all Federal Executive Council matters are coordinated through the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Boss Mustapha.”
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Until his death on April 18, 2020, due to coronavirus infection, Abba Kyari was seen as the main pillar of the Buhari’s government.
Now, indications from the office revealed that several decisions he took did not receive the approval of the President.
Expectedly, new Chief of Staff, Ibrahim Gambari, a former diplomat, who may not be disposed to the ways his predecessor acted has decided to do things differently.
Gambari on the approval of President Buhari canceled previous memos by Kyari. Gambari’s action is said to have pitched the new Chief of Staff to the President, at loggerheads with other top government officials, including the Secretary to the Government of the federation, Boss Mustapha.
But sources at the SGF’s told BusinessDay in Abuja that this is farther from the truth. “There is no strain in the working relationship between the President’s Chief of Staff and the office of the SGF.
“There is no doubt that President Muhammadu Buhari may have directed his new Chief of Staff to review memos and cancel some appointments. We are all working for Mr. President, so his decision on any issue is final,” our source said.
When contacted, the special adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Femi Adesina, declined comments. “The issue has nothing to do directly with the Presidency. The SGF has a Media office, why don’t you get in touch with them.”
A similar call put up to Garba Shehu didn’t produce results as he also declined to comment on the issues. Shehu in response said he would appreciate it if he was left out of the conversation.
“Please, I will appreciate if I can be left out of this,” he said.
Majored Dahiru, an Abuja-based public affairs analyst, sees the development as an indictment of the President himself. “The President cannot be completely exonerated”
According to him, “If indeed this is true, it means he ( President ) inadvertently created room for what has happened by giving Kyari so many powers.
“The Indictment on Abba Kyari who wielded so much executive shows that he was not the loyal Staff Nigerians thought he was after all
Dahiru advised the new CoS, not to fall into similar traps “ He should not repeat the same thing. It is a big lesson for other civil servants to note that power is transient.”
