Eric Teniola
He appointed the following as special advisers/special assistants to the office of the Vice-President, Shola Akanmode, Abdullahi Nyako, Chris Mamah, Mahmoud Abdullahi, Sajo Mohammed, Professor A.B. Aborishade, Dr. Usman Bugaje, Dr. Hamilton Isu, Dr Adeola Akande, Mr. Onukaba Adinoyi Ojo, Tokunbo Ayenuga, Umar Ardo, Ajuji Ahmed, John Agwu and A.A. Achibong,
The only President who did not appoint Chief of Staff was President Umaru Musa Yar’dua (1951-2010) whose tenure was between 2007 and 2010. Instead he appointed on the recommendation of the former Governor of Delta, Chief James Ibori, the then Delta state Commissioner of Finance, Olorogun David Edevbie as Principal Secretary. Under the working zoning arrangement in Delta state, Mr. Edevbie is slated to be a governorship candidate in 2023. He hailed from Afiesere in Ughelli North local government area of Delta state. The governor of Delta state, Senator Ifeanyi Arthur Okowa (60), “the road Master General” recently appointed Olorogun David Edevbie as his Chief of Staff.
When President Obasanjo left in 2007, he wanted Major General Abdulahi to be retained as Chief of Staff, but the powerful men from Katsina state resisted. People like Dr. Tanimu Yakubu Kurfi, the then Minister of Agriculture and Water Resources, Abba Suyyad Ruma, Shehu Inuwa Imam, the CSO, Yusuf Tilde and the ADC, Colonel Mustapha Onovieda encroached on that office and in the end, Major General Abdullahi left the villa in June 2008. The situation became confused at that time and no one could possibly say who was really in charge. In the end President Yar’dua scrapped the office of Chief of Staff and sacked all the special assistants of President Obasanjo. Those affected include, Dr. Gbolade Osinowo, who was initially the Senior Special Assistant on Political Affairs to the President; Dr. Emmanuel Egbogah, Deaconess J.O. Ayo, Senior Special Assistant on Economic Affairs; and Princess Gloria Nweka, Senior Special Assistant on Presidential Matters.
The situation continued during the illness of President Yar’dua and his sad death on May 5, 2010. Since then every President has appointed a Chief of Staff.
In May 2010, President Goodluck Jonathan appointed his friend and erstwhile deputy governor colleague, Chief Mike Aiyegbeni Oghiadomhe (63) from Fugar in Etsako Central Local Government Area of Edo state as Chief of Staff. On February 8, 2014, President Goodluck replaced Chief Oghiadomhe with Brigadier General (rtd.) Jones Oladeinde Arogbofa (66) as Chief of Staff. Brigadier Arogbofa, who is from Oka in Akoko South Local Government Area of Ondo state was former Military assistant to Brigadier General (rtd) Raji Rasaki, former Military Governor of Lagos state.
The present Chief of Staff, Mr. Abba Kyari was appointed by President Muhammadu Buhari on August 27, 2015. He is a product of University of Cambridge, University of Warwick, Nigerian Law School, International Institute for Management at Laussane, Switzerland and Harvard Business School. From 1988 to 1990, he was Editor with the New Africa Holdings Limited Kaduna. In 1990 he served as Commissioner for Forestry and Animal Resources in Borno State. From 1990 to 1995, Kyari was Secretary to the Board of African International Bank Limited. Abba Kyari was Executive Director, Management Services, United Bank for Africa Plc. (UBA) and was later appointed Managing Director and Chief Executive of the Bank. He was appointed a Director of Unilever Nigeria Plc. In 2002 and is a Director of Exxon Mobil Nigeria. In addition to his appointment as Chief of Staff to the President, Mr Abba Kyari was appointed to the board of Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation by President Muhammadu Buhari on July 4, 2016.
The growth of the power and influence of the office of Chief of Staff depends on the President. Only the President can decide the relevance of that office and how powerful it could be. He is the one and the only one who can delegate authorities and power to that office. For all powers flow directly from him.
Lets take a look of the scheduled of the office as at 1999.
Responsibilities of the chief of staff are 1 – Coordinating the activities of all Principal Staff Officers of the President C-IN-C,, 2- Conveyance of all directives and decisions of the President,C-in-C to the SGF,CDS.Members and other top functionaries of Government, 3- formation of ad-hoc bodies as well as stipulating their terms of reference in conjunction with SGF,4- Chairing of meetings of Principal Staff Officers to the President, C-in-C, 5-Monitoring and Coordinating the day to day activities of the President, C-in-C, 6- Clearance of all official military and civil matters as well as preparation of executives summaries on official issues, 7- Arrangement of all official appointments and engagements of the President, in conjunction with SCOP and ADC to C-in-C, 8- Arrangement and convening of all meetings sanctioned by the President C-in-C as well as coverage of such meetings including provision of secretariat services, 9- organizing Federal Executives Council meetings in conjunction with the cabinet secretariat and advising the President, C-in-C on schedules of the meetings to approval and eventual communication of same by the COS to the Cabinet Secretariat, 10.- attendance of National Defence and Security Council meetings, 11. Coordination and attendance of the annual council/boards of Defence, NA, NN, NAF, NWC, CSC, NDA and NDF as well as following up all decisions reached at the meetings 12. Serving as a link between the President, C-in-C and the Service Headquarters, 13. Vetting of all draft speeches for the President, C-in-C in respect of services functions 14. Management of correspondence to and from the President, C-in-C including the circulation of enrolled legislation, proposed Executive orders, decision memoranda, speeches and other Presidential documents to relevant State House functionaries for clearance and comment. 15. Ensuring that any document being forwarded to the President, C-in-C is in suitable condition, technically and substantively for President review and action, 16—maintenance and control of the President, C-in-C’s projects and welfare accounts, 17—authorisation of use of Presidential Air-fleet by government functionaries.
Eric Teniola, a former director at the Presidency wrote from Lagos.