President Goodluck Jonathan has chosen to retain Mike Oghiadomhe as the Chief of Staff to the President, putting paid to reports that Godswill Igali, the former Ambassador to the Nordic countries, would get the plum job.
President Goodluck Jonathan has chosen to retain Mike Oghiadomhe as the Chief of Staff to the President, putting paid to reports that Godswill Igali, the former Ambassador to the Nordic countries, would get the plum job.
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In a statement, former Senator Anyim Pius Anyim, the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, said Mr. Jonathan would also retain Eng. Mohammed Kachalla Abubakar as Deputy Chief of Staff to the President; Amb. Hassan Tukur as Principal Secretary to the President; Dr. Tunji Olagunju, as Special Adviser to the President on NEPAD; and Mr. Oronto Douglas, Special Adviser to the President on Research and Strategy.
The men are part of a team of 18 Special Advisers to be sworn-in tomorrow at the Presidential Villa.
The new entrants are Prof. Abubakar Sambo, Special Adviser to the President on Energy; Mrs. Sarah Akuben Pane, Special Adviser to the President on Social Development; Mrs. Sarah Jibril, Special Adviser to the President on Ethics and Values; Senator Joy Emordi, Special Adviser to the President on National Assembly Matters; and Hon. Kingsley Kuku, Special Adviser to the President on Niger Delta Affairs.
Others are Dr. Pius Olakunle Osunyikanmi, Special Adviser to the President on International Relations, Prof. Dan Adebiyi, Special Adviser to the President on Special Duties; Dr. Rueben Abati, Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity; Mrs. Asma’u Abdulkadir, Special Adviser to the President on Gender Issues; Nze Sullivan Akachukwu Nwakpo, Special Adviser to the President on Technical Matters; Yakubu Abdullahi, Special Adviser to the President on Political Matters (Office of the Vice President); Barr. Bashir Sufyan, Special Adviser to the President on Legal Matters (Office of the Vice President); and former Senator Isaiah Ballat, Special Adviser to the President for Special Duties (Office of the Vice President).
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Of significant interest on the list is Mrs. Jibril, who has contested the presidency with a variety of men since 1993. At the last People’s Democratic Party primaries in January, she received only one vote, presumably cast by herself. But she has advocated a government of ethics and good governance for many years. Only last month, she challenged the Jonathan government to give Nigerian women the chance to contribute to the development of the nation. "I feel ashamed that in Nigeria, the politicians and the women are still wallowing in ignorance," she said.
Today’s list of Special Advisers confirms last week’s stories of the departure from Aso Rock of Mr. Ima Niboro, the former Adviser on Media and Publicity. This evening, Mr. Niboro issued a statement congratulating his successor.
The list of advisers also raises the question of the whereabouts of Mrs. Bianca Ojukwu, whom Jonathan appointed Special Adviser on Diaspora Affairs last year while her husband was on a hospital bed in London battling for his life.
Mr. Oghiadomhe’s return also calls to question whether character is an essential component of Mr. Jonathan’s consideration in choosing his officials. Mr. Ogiadomhe was part of Lucky Igbinedion’s lootocracy in Edo State. He has also been widely-criticized by villagers in his part of the state who alleged he had appropriated their land.
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