Professor Ibrahim Gambari, Chief of Staff to the President, said president Muhammadu Buhari is a leader who repays loyalty and does not enslave his subordinates like his counterparts.
Gambari made this disclosure on Thursday, November 24 in response to encomium heaped on him by the staff of the State House in a reception organised in celebration of his 78th birthday in the Presidential Villa.
The Chief of Staff chronicled how his principal, Buhari, then Miitary Head of State, in the military coup of August 1985 was ousted and how he was appointed as the Chief of Staff by the same man 35 years after.
Gambari said: “When I came on board, I said my job is simple – to give loyalty, competence and support and that’s why even when Mr. President sees me and calls Chief of Staff, I say yes sir; but the emphasis is on ‘Staff’ not on ‘Chief’ because there is only one Chief and that’s the President and our duty is to support him loyally and competently.
“When I was offered this job by the President, he brought out a picture that was taken in June 1985, it was at the OAU Summit. The then Head of State was sitting in the middle, and his then Chief Press Secretary, Wada Maida, to his right.
“And he said: ‘do you remember this picture? I said ‘No sir, but I remember the ocassion’. He said: ‘well, you were my Foreign Minister, we were kicked out of government in 1985, 35 years later, I find the opportunity to bring you back’.
‘He said ‘we were interrupted then and I am bringing you back now to let you continue where we stopped’. I thanked him very much and I said can I hold this picture so that I can make a copy? He said no, I kept mine, go and find yours.
“There are three reasons why I put that picture in front of my office. First, to return to the important point of departure; to show the kind of person our President is. He doesn’t forget those who have worked with him, who have served him loyally and in whom he has confidence. Some other people use and dump, not him.”
In his reaction, Deputy Chief of Staff, Ade Rahman Ipaye, described Gambari as a reputed diplomat with a large image and heart, who has “entirely fulfilled his promise” of running a seamless mejoint administration of the presidency.
Describing his boss as a teacher, Ipaye said he had looked forward to working with Gambari, and learning from him, and “I have since not been disappointed for once”.
The State House Permanent Secretary, Tijani Umar, praised Gambari for using his wisdom to run the offices of the President and the Vice-President, without any acrimony.
He said the Chief of Staff is a teacher and mentor, who is approachable and responsive to plights of the staff of the State House.
Media adviser to the President, Femi Adesina, noted that Gambari had defined himself instead of allowing his office define him before his appointment as Chief of Staff.
“He already had value before coming here, and was not coming to get value. He is now adding value to the Presidency. We have worked seamlessly together since your arrival here, and I appreciate that.
“I remember how, when you assumed office and at our first meeting, you simply asked me to see you as a senior uncle. You look good at 78 and we pray for God to give you more years in good health”, Adesina said.
