As the dust continue to settle, at least for those who got flaked by of the All Progressives’ Party (APC) and its candidate Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu victory at the just concluded presidential elections, Nigerians now earnestly look forward to the transition from the Buhari administration to Tinubu’s. It is essential that the new president hit the ground running, and what better way than to make sure he does what he he known to do very well – picking a formidable and winning team.
One key member of this team Asiwaju has to get right is his Chief of Staff (CoS).
Let’s define who a Chief of Staff to the president is.
The CoS sits next to the most powerful man in the room – the President.
The Chief of Staff’s job has more authority and more power than than the Vice President, he is the one person besides his wife, who can look him right in the eye and say, This is not right. You simply can’t go down that road, you could very well make the argument that a Chief of Staff is the second most powerful job in government.
He’s the President’s most powerful advisor and closest confidant.
The Chief of Staff is the person the president turns to to transform his agenda into reality. And when big decisions changed the course of history, the Chief of Staff is often the only other person in the room.
You could very well make the argument that what our Chief of Staff is the second most powerful job in government.
One will agree that the character and nature of this individual must of someone who is stoic, modestly extroverted and selfless with desire of frivolities.
Tinubu has to look beyond the obvious and dig deep to historical character attributes and strengths from his shortlist. He must be someone that will cause him an iota worry, doubt or regret of any kind due to the individual’s past and current public which most times makes it possible predict how flawed the individual could be.
As we have seen many times before, Nigerians in corridors of power tend wear the personality of celebrities or people who over-celebrate needlessly. The president has a serious task ahead and cannot afford to be distracted, in fact it is a zero tolerance to distraction.
Speculations are rife that Raji Fashola, Femi Gbajabiamila and Sunday Dare are said to be on the shortlist alongside a very strong dark horse, in Pius O Akinyelure a seasoned and distinguished administrator, and an oil industry practitioner. A certified Accountant with a Master of Science Degree in Management, specializing in organizational behaviour, Chief Akinyelure has had over 30 years working experience in the oil industry at top executive management levels, both upstream and downstream.
Above all, a man of great and unwavering integrity, loyalty and integrity. He is Tinubu’s man and defender.
He stand head above shoulder as a man of great maturity, diplomatic acumen, a thoughtful and skillful administrator.
Whoever it would be, who does the cap fit? Who would be that most powerful advisor and closest confidant? Who will cause the president the least distraction?
And whom among this speculated shortlist would have the greatest imagination, administrative multitasking with a determined professional prowess to support the president and manage Nigeria’s complex diversity in Aso Rock Villa?
