Strong indications have emerged that President Muhammadu Buhari is under intense pressure to sack his Chief of Staff, Abba Kyari and the secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF) Babachir Lawal, over over what they described as gross incompetence and lack of administrative efficiency, Frontiers News report.
It was gathered that top All Progressive Congress (APC) top leaders as well as close associates of President Buhari are reportedly putting pressure on him to relieve the two principal officers of their job so that the APC led-government can find its footing in the present economic and political crisis.
Party leaders, according to those in the know, have accused Kyari of been a stumbling block to the effective and smooth running of government especially in preventing memos from ministers and heads of agencies from reaching the president at the desired time.
“Its unfortunate that the Chief of Staff to the president keeps files from ministries in his office for months without allowing the president see them. We can not understand why he does it. Files that shouldn’t have taken more than 24 hours to reach the president sometimes spend three months without getting the president’s attention.
“This is one key reason while the government business is not moving accordingly. This has greatly helped in slowing down the activities of government and this is definitely not good for the government,” a top party leader told Frontiersnews.
However, investigations have revealed that President Buhari is having challenges over Kyari and Lawal’s issues as he confessed to friends and political leaders that he was finding it difficult to change Kyari because he had not seen a more competent hand to takeover the office.
“The issue of the chief of staff is a personal one. He is a personal staff and I have to be careful who I appoint as Chief of Staff. I wouldn’t want to hand over that office to just anybody but somebody that I know and who is competent,” the President was said to have confessed to close associates and key party leaders.
Investigations further revealed that despite hoarding files and preventing ministers and heads of agencies from seeing the president, Kyari is also in the habit of usurping the responsibilities of the SGF, head of the civil service of the federation (HCSOF), ministers and heads of agencies.
He has been accused of single handedly appointing boards of agencies and other key political appointments in the country.
“Ministers are very unhappy because Kyari is the one doing their jobs. He appoints boards and key appointments in agencies and parastatals without consulting the concerned ministers. The unfortunate thing about the whole thing is that they do not have the spin to challenge him or report the matter to the president. This is very worrisome and unhealthy for the government,” the party source said.
The source, who spoke on the condition of anonymity said “even the SGF and the HCSOF cannot challenge Kyari. He is infact acting as if he is the president and nobody is calling him to order. He can do anything and act the way he wants without consulting anybody and nothing will happen.”
In the case of the SGF, our correspondent gathered that party leaders are also complaining that he doesn’t have the requisite experience to handle the critical challenges that the office require, especially at this time in the life of the nation.
“The government needs a vibrant, articulate and a more experienced SGF at this time. Lawal cannot handle the challenges of the moment. This is a critical time in the life of the nation and somebody who is charismatic, experienced and one with a vast knowledge of the economy should be in charge. Lawal cannot handle what is presently facing the Nigeria,” the source stated further.
*Frontiers News
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