By Uche Amunike
Barely one week after the swearing in of a new government in the country, the Nigerian Senate, Tuesday, granted President Bola Tinubu’s appointment request for 20 special advisers that will help him run his government in the next 4 years.
The request was granted after being read by the Senate President, Ahmed Lawan, during plenary session on the floor of the upper legislative chamber.
According to, Lawan, it was a matter of urgency that President Bola Tinubu should have a team to work with and hit the ground running. He also stated that even though the president did not list any names yet for the special advisers, the Senate would go ahead approve his request, considering that it was apparently a matter of utmost urgency.
President Bola Tinubu’s Appointment request came days after the appointment of the outgoing Speaker of the House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila was announced as the Chief of Staff of President Bola Tinubu, as well as former Minister of Special Duties. George Akume, who was also announced as the Secretary to the Government of the Federation.
Recall that President Bola Tinubu had earlier named Akume, who was also, former governor of Benue State, to be the scribe of the Federal government during a meeting with the Progressives Governors Forum (PGF) leaving room for speculations, ever since.
The weeks of speculations were however laid to rest after a confirmation was made through a statement signed, Friday, by the State House Director of Information, Abiodun Oladunjoye and titled: ‘President Tinubu President Gbajabiamila COS, Sen. Ibrahim Hadejia, DCOS, George Akume, SGF.’
The statement partly read: ‘In a meeting with Progressives Governors Forum, the President also named former Governor of Benue State and immediate past Minister of Special Duties, George Akume, Secretary to the Government of the federation.’
During his acceptance speech, Gbajabiamila thanked President Tinubu for considering him a worthy Chief of Staff and gave his assurances of putting in his best efforts upon resumption of office, come June 14.
His words: ‘Having spent the last 20 years in the Nigerian Parliament, and after winning my 6th term election into the National Assembly, I shall work with Mr President in discharging the enormous task ahead of him for the peace and progress of the federal republic of Nigeria. I shall give my best when I take office on June 14 2023 as reflected in Mr. President’s official letter’, he stated.
According to one of the new bills that were signed into law by former President, Muhammadu Buhari, few months before he left office, the announcement of President Bola Tinubu’s appointment of a new cabinet would be made within 60 days after assumption office.
It is a new amendment to the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, where the president and governors of the 36 states in the country will send names of prospective Ministers and Commissioners in a space of 60 days after taking their oath of office to the National Assembly and State Assembly, as the case may be, for confirmation.
