SERVICE CHIEFS, CUSTOMS BOSS, NSA, OTHERS MAY GO

LAGOS – It would seem that the presidency has finally caved in to criticisms of lopsided appointments into key national positions in President Muhammadu Buhari’s government.

Against this backdrop, President Buhari is said to have, therefore, approved the reshuffling of service chiefs and others.

Those believed to have been sub­sequently approved for replacement include the National Security Adviser (NSA), the Chief of Army Staff, the Chief of Naval Staff, the Chief of Air Staff, and the Comptroller-General of Cus­toms.

Investigations by Daily Independent reveal that apart from the service chiefs, the NSA and the Customs boss, some key staff at the presiden­cy and heads of some Federal Government agencies would be replaced.

It was further learnt that the shake-up was sequel to a memo from the new Chief of Staff to the President, Professor Ibrahim Agboola Gambari, suggesting that there was an emergency to reshuffle Buhari’s cabinet to accommodate people from the southern part of the country.

A source revealed that Gambari, in his memo, stressed that disunity in the country was more widened by the lopsided appointments, thereby pitching the South against the North.

Similarly, the new CoS was said to have highlighted sever­al reasons why there was an urgent need to replace some people in Buhari’s govern­ment to embrace national unity and cohesion.

One of the highlights was that there was no sincerity of purpose in executing national economic policies as well as lack of commitment to cur­tailing insecurity.

President Buhari was said to have yielded to the urgent need to replace some of the key position holders, “espe­cially in the security sector”, our source disclosed.

Our investigations re­vealed that Gambari’s pro­posal has leaked to all the military and other agencies whose heads have been slated for the sack.

Subsequently, the lobby has intensified by interested groups and some politicians, who are said to have reached out to Gambari to recommend their cronies.

In the new dispensation, our source hinted that the new Chief of Naval Staff or Chief of Air Staff might emerge from Kwara State.

Similarly, the naval chief may alternatively emerge from the Niger Delta.

Source: Daily Independent