President Muhammadu Buhari has officially proclaimed Professor Ibrahim Gambari his new Chief of Staff following the former top diplomat’s arrival at the presidential villa, Abuja on Wednesday.
The president made the announcement shortly before the commencement of the virtual meeting Federal Executive Council (FEC) he presiding over n
Gambari was presented to council by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Boss Mustapha.
Gambari had earlier been received on arrival at the villa by Senior Presidency officials including the Director of Protocol, Alhaji Yakubu Ahmed and the Permanent Secretary State House, Mallam Tijani Umar.
Also on hand to welcome him were the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Foreign Affairs, Office of the Vice President, Amb. Abdullahi Gwari as well as the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media, Mallam Garba Shehu who all ushered him into the Aso Chambers of the State House, Abuja.
Gambari, from Ilorin, Kwara state, was minister of external affairs under Buhari as a military head of state between 1983 and 1985.
His last assignment at the United Nations was as the joint special representative of the secretary-general and chairperson of the African Union Commission/head of the UN and AU hybrid mission in Darfur (UNAMID) from January 2010 to July 2012.
UNAMID under Gambari was the world’s largest international peacekeeping mission.
The opening prayer for the inaugural virtual FEC meeting was said to Vice President, Yemi Osinbajo while the minister of Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Sabo Nanono.
Others physically present at the meeting are ministers of finance, budget and national planning, Zainab Ahmed, transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, information and culture, Lai Mohammed, power, Saleh Mamma, and commerce, Niyi Adebayo.
Other council members attended the meeting in the various offices.
TRIBUNE
