I’ll report only to Buhari – Gambari

The new Chief of Staff to the President, Prof. Ibrahim Gambari, said on Wednesday that by virtue of his duty, he will report only to President Muhammadu Buhari and not the public.

Gambari stated this on Wednesday at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, during a brief chat with State House reporters.

Nigeria’s former Permanent Representative to the United Nations (UN), 1990 to 1999, thanked President Buhari for the opportunity to serve him and the country.

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When asked about what Nigerians should expect from him, Gambari said: “I have not started, so I will find out and maybe… I don’t report directly to the nation, I report directly to the president.”

On what the president should expect from him, the new Chief of Staff said: “I think he needs my loyalty, competence and support.”

On what would be his guiding principle as the chief of staff, Gambari said: “To serve the president to the best of my ability.”

President Buhari had earlier unveiled his new chief of staff shortly before the start of the inaugural virtual Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting at exactly 11:30am.

Gambari, arrived at the presidential villa at 10:40am wearing a sky blue agbada set.

He was received by senior Presidency officials, including the Director of Protocol, Alhaji Yakubu Ahmed and the Permanent Secretary State House, Malam Tijjani Umar.

Others were the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Foreign Affairs, Office of the Vice President, Amb. Abdullahi Gwari, and the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Malam Garba Shehu, who ushered him into the Aso Chambers of the State House, Abuja.

The indigene of Ilorin in Kwara State was presented to council by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Boss Mustapha, shortly after a minute’s silence observed in honour of former members of the Federal Executive Council at various times, including former Minister of Justice and Attorney General of the Federation, late Chief Richard Akinjide, the late chief of staff, Malam Abba Kyari, former minister of health, Halilu Alhassan, and former minister of state for public health during the second republic Paul Wampana.