Presidency Begins Search For New SGF

After the suspension of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Babachir Lawal, about five days ago, rumors has it that the Presidency has started shopping for his replacement.

Sources from the presidency were quoted to have said that a highly respected and experience person is expected to be named as it was gathered that the new SGF might will assume more roles, as it was during the tenure of ex-President Olusegun Obasanjo.

It is further assumed that as part of the changes to the office,the President is said to be considering a reduction of the workload of his Chief of Staff, Mallam Abba Kyari, by devolving more schedules to the new SGF.

“Buhari might strengthen the office of the SGF in order to reduce the heavy workload on the Chief of Staff, Mallam Abba Kyari who is doing a lot now. There are some schedules which ordinarily ought not to be handled by the Chief of Staff but since such matters demand trust, the President saddles him with them,” the source said

 Already, two ministers, two senators, and four others top Nigerians are on the list of those being considered. The list of those being considered for the office of the SGF also include a former governor.

From all indications, the presidency have foreclosed the return of Lawal and the Director-General of the National Intelligence Agency (NIA), Amb. Ayo Oke, and is just waiting for Osinbajo’s committee to submit its report.

While the horse-trading to succeed SGF Lawal may have started in earnest the New SGF may come from any part of the country as the President is said to be favorably dispose to it “after all we are all Nigerians” as he put it .

The name of the Minister of Science and Technology, Dr. Ogbonnaya Onu kept recurring, however, it is unclear if the Presidency would give the slot to the Southeast less than  two years after the exit of former SGF Anyim Pius Anyim.

However, it was also learnt that three geopolitical zones may produce the next SGF, depending on the way things pans out with the President. The zones are North-East (seeking the retention of the office), the North-Central and the South-East. But the real battle for the slot is between the North-East and the North-Central.