By Dansu Peter
Gambari, a renowned diplomat and academia, replaces Abba Kyari who passed away in April.
The appointment of the Kwara native has been widely accepted by Nigerians with the South East Emancipation Movement the latest to show solidarity.
In a statement signed by its coordinator, Comrade Nnaemeka Chukwuebuka, on Friday, SEEM expressed gratitude to the president for settling for someone with a clean slate and unblemished integrity like himself.
Given the current global situation, the group revealed that this is coming at the right time when the administration can’t afford to gamble on key decisions and policies.
With Nigeria’s economy on an upward swing since 2015, SEEM believes Gambari's exposure and wealth of experience would be crucial in sustaining the tempo.
Having previously worked with the president, the Igbo group reckoned that the professor would most certainly hit the ground running as he is already familiar with the terrain.
While calling on all Nigerians to continue to support President Buhari, SEEM, however, wished Gambari all the best as he coordinates the activities for and on behalf of his boss.
Read full statement below:
The South East Emancipation Movement (SEEM), hereby congratulates President Muhammadu Buhari on his appointment of Prof. Ibrahim Gambari, as Chief of Staff to the President.
The appointment is well deserved, well thought out, done in the best interest of the nation, apt and could not have come at a better time.
Though the Chief of Staff is expected to work directly for the President by assisting him to attain the goal of his administration, the excitement that greeted the choice of Prof. Gambari suggests the impact Nigerians are expecting it will have on the overall interest of the nation.
SEEM as well other well meaning Nigerians were initially concerned that given the fervour and zeal with which the immediate past chief of staff to the President, Alhaji Abba Kyari served the president in that capacity, that it would be difficult for Mr. President to find an able replacement.
We became more worried when we saw the names being bandied about in the press as those being considered for the position; but Mr. President in his usual calm and calculating manner took his time to search for the right person and we were pleasantly surprised when he unveiled Prof. Gambari as his choice.
We make bold to say that there is no better example of a round peg in round hole than this appointment which had placed a man with vast knowledge and experience to support Mr. President.
It is to the credit of the President that he had all these while kept the choice of Gambari close to his chest such that when the decision was announced, the applause was overwhelming, as those that raised some concerns did so purely on the basis of primordial sentiment.
Since the Chief of Staff is going to be working closely with the President, the position is one that requires absolute trust and integrity and lots of personal sacrifice to function.
Prof. Gambari is a living testimony of what service and integrity should be all about and one whom the President can place his absolute trust on without losing sleep.
We note that the respected Professor is coming in at a time when the administration, given the current global situation, cannot afford to gamble on key decisions and policies.
The fact that the world at large is going through challenges owing to the COVID-19 pandemic and its attendant consequences, requires a Midas touch that could only have been acquired through years of study and experience which Prof. Gambari evinces.
The President and his team have since 2015, served the country well in terms of improving on the economy, taking care of the security challenges bedevilling the country and fighting corruption.
It will require someone with the right attitude and intellect to sustain the gains recorded as well improve on what is on ground.
Prof. Gambari who has held various responsible positions across the globe, we believe is eminently qualified to occupy the seat as his long years in the public service has been a record of unblemished and distinguished performance.
We note that the Professor is well a sought after material by world leaders due to his depth of knowledge and wealth of experience. He was for instance the first Special Adviser on Africa to the then UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan and had served Ban Ki Moon in different capacities.
He is so far the only diplomat with the record of working for five Nigerian heads of state and presidents at the UN, hence we see it is apt for the Nigerian president to offer him the opportunity to once again serve his fatherland.
This group believes that a transparent, experienced and detribalized Nigerian in the person of Ibrahim Gambari as Chief of Staff will cement the relationship between various interests groups in Nigeria and coordinate activities for Mr. President.
Having worked with President Buhari as the minister for external affairs between 1984 and 1985, the professor needs no induction nor training in the ideals of integrity, truth and justice that the president is known for.
His resumption at the villa would be seamless as he is already on familiar terrain having worked closely with the president and due to the fact that he is somebody who espouses and shares the lofty ideals of incorruptibility and integrity that have earned the president respect in Nigeria and the world.
We are confident that Prof. Gambari will make Mr. President and the rest of the country proud in discharging his duties as Chief of Staff as he is not known to have failed in the past.
Nigerians from all walks of life and across political parties, have trooped out to congratulate the Professor as well as express confidence that he has what it takes to make the difference.
We at SEEM are equally confident that Prof. Gambari will do a good job of coordinating work at the presidency and advising the president on administrative and policy issues.
We draw our confidence from his background as a detribalized Nigerian, nationalist and visionary leader who understands the Nigerian terrain very well and who has the right charisma to deliver on the job.
We are ready to support him and cooperate with him in any way we can for him to support the president to achieve his mandate for the nation.
We call on Nigerians to support President Muhammadu Buhari, his new Chief of staff and indeed all the people working with Mr. President to move Nigeria forward.
We wish Prof. Gambari all the best as we believe that he will carry all along in coordinating activities for and on behalf of Mr. President at all times.
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