Buhari May Name Fashola Chief of Staff, Dambazzau NSA

Barring any last minute manoeuvring, Lieutenant-General Abdurahman Dambazzau, a former Chief of Army Staff, and Mr. Babatunde Raji Fashola, SAN, immediate-past governor of Lagos State, may be named National Security Adviser (NSA) and the Chief of Staff (COS) to the President, respectively, this week, sources in the administration have said.

According to Nigerian Tribune, although several names have come up for the position of Chief of Staff, including that of Ambassador Babagana Kingibe, it was learnt that the name of Fashola popped up strongly lately.

Sources also said that Dambazzau, who has been doing the job of NSA alongside the outgoing Colonel sambo Dasuki, would be named this week.

It was gathered that President Muhammadu Buhari is set to name the appointments, in view of his readiness to fully start operations from the Presidential villa from this week.

Nigerian Tribune quoted a source who said that even though some All Progressives Congress (APC) chieftains had objected to the choice of Fashola, the president appears set to make the announcement, “because he appears to believe in the former Lagos governor”

It was learnt that construction giant, Julius Berger, has completed its repair works on the Villa and that the president was set to move in.

Sources also said that Berger had completed its work, while technical sweeping would be done over the weekend.

Sources said that once the whole processed are completed, the president would move into the official quarters and residence, while his principal officers would emerge.

It was also learnt that key officials close to the president have completed a review of the involvement of operatives of Department of State Services (DSS) in the security network of the president.

Sources had said that some influential figures in the administration had objected to the DSS playing any role in Buhari’s government, following what they called pre- election spats between the APC and the organisation.

But it was learnt that some leaders might have intervened to ensure the status quo of the president’s security prevails.