Chairmen of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the 36 states and the FCT have refuted a media report claiming that they had recommended the party’s national leadership to be involved in the choice of a new Chief of Staff for President Muhammadu Buhari, following the death of Malam Abba Kyari.
The chairman, Forum of APC chairmen in Nigeria and APC chairman in Borno State, Ali Bukar Dalori, said in Maiduguri yesterday that the clarification became necessary the forum only intended to condole with the president over the death of Kyari and not be dragged into the issue of succession, which is completely outside its mandate.
“Our message to the president was purely to convey our thoughts and prayers to him over the loss of his chief of staff and friend of over 40 years. In reporting the condolence however, it was erroneously suggested that we recommended the APC national leadership to choose late Abba Kyari’s successor for the president. While it was totally outside our mandate to be involved on issue of the president’s chief of staff, associating us with such matter at a time the president and the country were at the peak of bereavement tended to present the forum of APC chairmen as being highly insensitive to the mood of the president, our party and the country. In addition, we also know a vacant office of chief of staff is not one that the constitution mandates immediate replacement hence, there was never a basis for hurry,” Dalori said.
He added that the forum was experienced enough to recognize that appointment of a chief of staff, being the closest and most senior personal aide, is normally the exclusive privilege of the president.
