It has been revealed that former Governor of Ekiti State, Dr. John Kayode Fayemi was the leader of a small advance team that went to Germany to prepare for the arrival of President Muhammadu Buhari as he attends the G-7 meeting.
The President of Nigeria was accompanied by a 20-person delegation including former Governor Babatunde Fashola(SAN) of Lagos State; former Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant-General Abdulrahman Dambazau (ret.); his personal photographer, Bayo Omoboriowo, and his cook named ‘Anne’.
The presence of both former Governors Fashola and Fayemi on the delegation raised fresh speculations about President Buhari’s possible role for both men in his administration. A source close to the president revealed to newsmen that Mr. Buhari was considering appointing Mr. Fashola as his Chief of Staff, a position the former governor of Ekiti state is also competing for, as disclosed by our source.
However, the national leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Asiwaju Bola Tinubu was reportedly opposed to Mr. Fashola’s appointment. Mr. Tinubu who preceded Mr. Fashola as governor of Lagos State sometimes had a tense political relationship with the immediate past governor. Another candidate for the position of Chief of Staff, Agboola Gambari, a professor, although not considered a serious contender for the position as indicated by the exclusion of his name from the list of delegates that accompanied the president to Germany. Mr. Gambari’s name only cropped up as one of the candidates for the post of Chief of Staff a few days ago.
President Buhari’s trip to Germany is his first trip outside of Africa since his inauguration on May 29, 2015. It should be noted that his 20-man delegation which reportedly included members of his advance party is a new development in the country and a scale back from the practice of former President Goodluck Jonathan’s which involved foreign trips with as many as 200 people.
The presence of both former Governors Fashola and Fayemi on the delegation raised fresh speculations about President Buhari’s possible role for both men in his administration. A source close to the president revealed to newsmen that Mr. Buhari was considering appointing Mr. Fashola as his Chief of Staff, a position the former governor of Ekiti state is also competing for, as disclosed by our source.
However, the national leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Asiwaju Bola Tinubu was reportedly opposed to Mr. Fashola’s appointment. Mr. Tinubu who preceded Mr. Fashola as governor of Lagos State sometimes had a tense political relationship with the immediate past governor. Another candidate for the position of Chief of Staff, Agboola Gambari, a professor, although not considered a serious contender for the position as indicated by the exclusion of his name from the list of delegates that accompanied the president to Germany. Mr. Gambari’s name only cropped up as one of the candidates for the post of Chief of Staff a few days ago.
President Buhari’s trip to Germany is his first trip outside of Africa since his inauguration on May 29, 2015. It should be noted that his 20-man delegation which reportedly included members of his advance party is a new development in the country and a scale back from the practice of former President Goodluck Jonathan’s which involved foreign trips with as many as 200 people.
.jpg)
