Ministerial Appointment: Gbajabiamila’s Appointment As Tinubu’s CoS Still Speculative, Says Lawan

Femi Gbajabiamila’s rumored nomination as Chief of Staff to President Bola Tinubu was characterized by the Senate President, Ahmed Lawan, as speculative on Thursday in Abuja.

However, he asserted that if it were to be true, the President would have made “the best decision” in selecting the departing Speaker to be his CoS because of his qualifications and connections to the administration.

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“The Speaker of the House of Representatives has been rumored to be Chief of Staff designate,” Lawan remarked when speaking with State House Correspondents following a meeting with the President at the State House. You speculate, you work in the media, I don’t. I am awaiting the announcement. I firstly hope that happens. If it occurs, Mr. President would have chosen a very sensible choice.

“At this time, you need a chief of staff who is very knowledgeable in the fields of legislation and working with the executive, which the Speaker initiated from the House.

“He has a very good network and the support that is required; when that happens, you know this administration is going to be administration of the legislators.

“You have a President who was a senator, a vice president who was a senator and of course our potential chief of staff designate, the speaker of the House of Representatives, is somebody who has been in the National Assembly for 20 years,” he opined.

As a result, Lawan hypothesized that the Tinubu administration shouldn’t have any trouble relating to the 10th National Assembly because both the President and his Vice President had served in the National Assembly and hence are familiar with its members’ views and sensibilities.

“I’m sure that the appointment as Chief-of-Staff to Mr President will be a very welcome idea to many.

“So, I wish my brother well and wish that he will become the Chief-of-Staff, and in advance, I pray that Almighty God with continue to guide and protect him in his new job. As a gatekeeper, it is not going to be an easy job,” the outgoing Senate leader stressed.

Lawan, who reiterated that he has never run for the 10th Senate Presidency, said that the selection of the next Senate and HoR leaders would be based on fairness and the needs of the country.

“What will guide the process will be the national interest, interest of the National Assembly, and interest of the legislative as a whole.

The Yobe State representative continued, “We also think that Mr. President, having been a senator himself, and his vice president, also having been a senator, will always wish and pray for this.”

The Gbajabiamila, who was also present in the Presidential Villa, remained quiet about the rumours.

He answered, “Be patient, be patient, the system works in its own way,” when asked to confirm his appointment. Let’s give the system time to function.

Gbajabiamila quickly replied when asked if the announcement would be made before the day’s end: “We’ll see, we’ll see, we’ll see. I appreciate it very much.