Sources in the Presidency have told Chronicle NG that President Muhammadu Buhari is expected to officially name Prof. Ibrahim Gambari as the new Chief of Staff most likely today.
The sources who asked not to be named said the President picked Prof. Gambari because of his track record and his experience.
One of the source explained to Chronicle NG that the Presidency sees Prof. Gambari as a bridge builder who has all that it takes to manage the office.
“After a long and rigorous process, the President settled for Prof. Gambari because of many reasons, chief among them is his rich experience and professionalism.
Another source said replacing late Mallam Abba Kyari was a difficult decision. “It was always going to be difficult to replace Mallam Kyari because he was a top professional who was totally dedicated to his job.
The source added that, “Many things people heard of him were not true. Even things he knew nothing about were linked to him but the truth is that he is a thorough professional who sought 100 per cent in all that he did.”
Chronicle NG on Tuesday had reported that Prof. Gambari will succeed Mallam Kyari as Chief of Staff.
Prof. Gambari was born on 24 November 1944, in Ilorin, Kwara State, north central Nigeria. He attended King’s College, Lagos before proceeding to attend the London School of Economics where he obtained his B. Sc. (Economics) degree (1968) with specialisation in International Relations.
He later obtained his M.A. (1970) and Ph. D. (1974) degrees from Columbia University, New York, USA in Political Science /International Relations.
He began his teaching career in 1969 at City University of New York before working at University of Albany.
Later, he taught at Ahmadu Bello University, in Zaria, Kaduna State. From 1986 to 1989, he was Visiting Professor at three universities in Washington, D.C.: Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies, Georgetown University and Howard University.
He has also been a research fellow at the Brookings Institution also in Washington D.C. and a Resident Scholar at the Bellagio Study and Conference Center, the Rockefeller Foundation-run center in Italy.
He was accorded, honoris causa, the title of Doctor of Humane Letters (D.Hum.Litt.) from the University of Bridgeport.
He is a member of the Johns Hopkins University’s Society of Scholars. He was decorated with the title of Commander of the Federal Republic (CFR) by the Government of Nigeria.
Gambari served as the Minister for External Affairs between 1984 and 1985 under General Muhammadu Buhari’s military regime.
From 1990 to 1999, he holds the record of being the longest serving Nigerian Ambassador to the United Nations, serving under five Heads of State and Presidents.
