The Nigeria’s President, Muhammadu Buhari, is under pressure to split the office of the Chief of Staff into two as he shops for the replacement of Late Mallam Abba Kyari.
According to the Nation said those pushing for the split recommended the creation of the office of the deputy chief of staff.
The report also revealed that some lobbyists have made a strong case for the scrapping of the chief of staff office, but strategists of the president have opted for its retention.
There are suggestions that the enormous responsibilities given to a chief of staff are overwhelming with a lot of health implications.
It was learnt that some of the lobbyists felt the tasks shouldered by Late Kyari compounded his underlying health factors because he worked round the clock.
The lobbyists suggested the appointment of a deputy to reduce the pressure on a CoS.
A source quoted in the report said: “There are three options available to the president namely; retaining the structure of the chief of staff as it is, having a chief of staff with a deputy; or scrapping the office.
“All the options are not new but the format depends on the focus of the president.
For instance, when Major-General Abdullahi Mohammed was the chief of staff to ex-President Olusegun Obasanjo between 1999 and 2007, a respected diplomat, Ambassador Aderemi Esan, was his deputy.
“On his part, the late President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua scrapped the office of the chief of staff in 2008 and subjected the management of the Presidential Villa to a combination of civil servants and a principal secretary.
“While it is left to the president to take a final decision, some lobbyists have made a strong case for the appointment of a chief of staff and a deputy to fast-track decision-making process.”
