By Kamil Opeyemi
As the jostling for key positions under the incoming President Bola Tinubu reaches a high point, there are indications that the position of the Chief of Staff to the President may not have ample powers attached to it.
The new president takes oath of office on Monday May 29.
NPO Reports that the President may have concluded plans to appoint a Principal Private Secretary whose duties and powers in the President’s office promise to have more responsibilities.
NPO Reports also gathered that while the likes of the outgoing Speaker, House of Representatives, Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila, Hon James Faleke and others have been eyeing the position with Gbajabiamila believed to be more favoured, the position of the PPS to the president may be occupied by a former Governor.
It was gathered that the former Governor, who is from one of the South-West states, is believed to be meticulous and one who had carried out some private critical assignments for Tinubu in the past.
Recall that Tinubu, as Governor of Lagos state, started the culture of the appointment of Chief of Staff in 1999 when he appointed the outgoing Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed as his Chief of Staff then.
He was succeeded by the now outgoing Minister of Works and Housing, Mr. Babatunde Fashola who later became Tinubu’s successor.
Though the position of the Chief of Staff is not in the constitution, it has gained acceptance and believed to be one of the most powerful positions in political appointments both at the state and federal government levels.
The late Abba Kyari, who was Chief of Staff to the outgoing President, Muhammadu Buhari, was believed to wield a lot of powers before his death because of covid in 2020.
He was succeeded by Prof Agboola Ibrahim Gambari. He is not believed to have wielded enormous powers as his predecessor.
A source close to the President-elect who pleaded anonymity told the NPO Reports on Sunday that the there is already a hint of the possibility of the role to be played by the former Governor creating some concerns for those who had hoped that the Chief of Staff to the President be an all-powerful appointee.
“If that plan becomes a reality, and it’s most probably will be, those who are kicking themselves over the position of the Chief of Staff may be disappointed because the Principal Private Secretary will indeed be a very powerful one.
“No file will get to the President unless it is treated first by the Principal Private Secretary. And to make it a fait accompli, the personality of the proposed appointee is such that no one, not even whoever is appointed Chief of Staff will be able to look at him in the face,” the source said.