President Jonathan Picks Sarah Jibril, Oghiadomhe, Kuku, Abati And 14 Others As Aides.

PRESIDENT Goodluck Jonathan yesterday picked his special advisers. He retains Chief Mike Oghiadomhe as Chief of Staff. Former presidential aspirant Mrs. Sarah Jibril and Chairman, Editorial Board of the Guardian, Dr. Reuben Abati are among 18 persons to be sworn-in today by the President.


The presidential aides are to be inaugurated at the Council Chamber, Presidential Villa, Abuja.  Although President Jonathan has chosen 18, he is entitled to appoint more advisers in view of the approval by the National Assembly to appoint 20 advisers.

Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Senator Anyim Pius Anyim said in a statement yesterday that the immediate past Special Adviser to the President on Niger Delta, Kingsley Kuku retains the position.

Abati is Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Mrs. Jibril is Special Adviser on Ethnics and Values while Oronto Douglas was named Special Adviser on Research and Strategy.

Also appointed are Senator Joy Emordi (National Assembly), Mohammed Kachalla Abubakar (Deputy, Chief of Staff), Ambassador Hassan Tukur (Principal Secretary), Prof Abubakar Sambo (Energy), Mrs. Sarah Akuben Pane (Social Development), Dr. Tunji Olagunju who has been around since the Babangida regime in the 80s, is in charge of NEPAD and Dr. Pius Olakunle Osunyinkanmi (International Relations).

Others are Prof. Dan Adebiyi (Special Duties), Mrs. Asma'u Abdulkadir (Gender Issues), Nze Sullivan Akachukwu Nwakpo (Technical Matters), Mohammed Wakil (Political Matters in the office of the Vice President), Bashir Sufyan (Legal Matters in the office of the Vice President) and Senator Isaiah Ballat (Special Duties in the office of the Vice President).

Source:
Nation