The race for who emerges Chief of Staff to President Muhammadu Buhari appears to be taking a new twist as new personalities are being considered for the top job, Pointblanknews.com has learnt.
It was gathered that former foreign affairs minister, Ibrahim Gambari and Director of the National Intelligence Agency (NIA), Ahmed Rufai Abubakar, Comptroller General of the Nigerian Customs Service, Colonel Hameed Ali are some of the new persons being considered for the top job that has reignited the rivalry between the First Lady, Aisha Buhari and Buhari’s nephew and leader of the Villa cabal, Mamman Daura.
Villa sources say this is situation has contributed to the delay in naming Abba Kyari’s replacement almost a month after his demise. Kyari died on April 17, 2020.
Recall that the minister of education and close ally of Buhari, Adamu Adamu and former foreign minister and intelligence specialist, Babagana
Kingibe were seen as the two strong contenders for the seat. It was gathered that in the absence of Kyari, Kingibe who had since become a member of the cabal held sway.
However, Pointblanknews.com gives a breakdown of all the contenders for the top seat and their strengths.
Colonel Hameed Ali, Comptroller General of the Nigerian Customs Service: a former Military Governor of Kaduna State who is well-regarded by Buhari;
Ahmed Rufai Abubakar, Director of the National Intelligence Agency: a close
friend of Kyari’s and utterly trusted;
Babagana Kingibe, former foreign minister and intelligence specialist: long experience in government and close to Buhari’s nephew Mamman Daura, and long seen as a presidential contender;
Ibrahim Gambari, former foreign minister and ambassador to the UN: a unifier with good international network;
Brigadier Mohammed Buba Marwa, former military governor of Lagos state and founder of Albarka airline: popular and knows security from the inside;
Muhammad Bello, Minister of the Federal Capital Territory: an efficient administrator but may lack the required political savvy
Adamu Adamu, education minister: cerebral polyglot and worked with Mamman Daura on the New Nigerian; his pro-Iran views might grate with Saudi Arabia and United States.
thxx