Nigerian President Appoints Ambassador Ibrahim Gambari as Chief of Staff

Federal Executive Council Meeting

After the Chief of Staff to the President of Nigeria passed from COVID-19 related complications, President Muhammadu Buhari appoints Ambassador Ibrahim Gambari as his new Chief of Staff. The announcement was made by the Secretary to Government of the Federation during a Federal Executive Council meeting chaired by the President at the Aso Rock Presidential Villa Abuja.

Who is President Buhari’s new Chief of Staff?

Ambassador Ibrahim Gambari, Commander of the Federal Republic (CFR), Order of the Companions of O.R. Tambo (OCORT). He was the Chairman of the United Nations Special Committee Against Apartheid (1990-1994) and on Peace-Keeping Operations (1990—1999).

Ambassador Gambari was appointed as the first United Nations Under-Secretary-General and Special Adviser to the Secretary-General on Africa (1999-2005).

He served as Head of the United Nations Department of Political Affairs (2005-2007) and also operated as UN Secretary-General’s Special Envoy on Cyprus, Zimbabwe and Myanmar, and Special Representative in Angola.

During President Buhari’s military regime, he was Nigeria’s Minister of External Affairs (1984-1985) and he subsequently served as Ambassador/Permanent Representative of Nigeria to the United Nations (1990-1999).

Ambassador Gambari served as Joint AU/UN Special Representative in Darfur and Head of UNAMID (2010-2012).

He is currently a Chairperson of the Panel of Eminent Persons of the African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM).

Ambassador Ibrahim Gambari is a Professor of Political science & International Relations. He is the Pioneer Chancellor of the Kwara State University (KWASU), Ilorin, Nigeria, as well as the current Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of the Governing Council of Bayero University, Kano.

Source: Aso Rock Villa. Compiled by Abiodun Abidoye.