The days of the Chief of Staff to the President, Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila appeared to be numbered following allegations that he has been trading off appointments in the government of President Bola Tinubu to the highest bidder.
Already, TheHintsNews reliably gathered that there is a lot of outcry among Tinubu’s loyalists, who were impressing it on the President that Gbajabiamila should be eased out of Villa before he causes more embarrassment and do more damage to his government.
Recall that on Thursday the President appointed 10 Resident Electoral Commissioners (REC) of Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
Those appointed were: Mr. Etekamba Umoren — Akwa Ibom State Resident Electoral Commissioner; Mr. Isah Shaka Ehimeakne — Edo State Resident Electoral Commissioner; Mrs. Oluwatoyin Babalola — Ekiti State Resident Electoral Commissioner; Mr. Abubakar Ahmed Ma’aji — Gombe State Resident Electoral Commissioner.
Others were: Mr. Shehu Wahab — Kwara State Resident Electoral Commissioner; Dr. Bunmi Omoseyindemi — Lagos State Resident Electoral Commissioner; Mr. Aminu Kasimu Idris — Nasarawa State Resident Electoral Commissioner; Prof. Mohammed Yelwa — Niger State Resident Electoral Commissioner
Dr. Anugbum Onuoha — Rivers State Resident Electoral Commissioner; and Mr. Isma’ila Kaura Moyi — Zamfara State Resident Electoral Commissioner.
However, sources told TheHintsNews that since Tinubu assumed office, most names approved by the President for appointments were allegedly replaced by the Chief of Staff.
A reliable source informed TheHintsNews that one of such cases was the replacement of the name of Ekiti REC with the name of a former commissioner under the immediate past Governor of Ekiti state, Dr. Kayode Fayemi
The source said: “The REC from Ekiti that he (Gbajabiamila) put there, the man was Fayemi’s former Commissioner, that was not the person Asiwaju signed off on. The person Asiwaju signed off on was one Toyin (Mrs Oluwatoyin Babalola), the former Legal Adviser of INEC.
“But when the announcement was made, two members of President cabinet met with him to complain that the person they nominated had been changed with another person. The president was infuriated, he said he checked the name of the woman before he signed the list.
“He summoned his CoS, but when he arrived, he was stuttering. The President asked him to bring the list he signed.
“The President said so, what he has been hearing is true that whenever he signs something, it will be changed. The President gave three instances that he signed for something and was changed. He felt bad and gave him the last warning. He directed that the woman’s name must be in the list.”
The source added that there was a plan in place to ease him out of the Villa.
“This is like the 5th time the CoS is embarrassing the president. There is a plan to ease him out of Villa by giving him an ambassadorial position,” the source said.
Another source noted that President’s Private Principal Secretary, Akeem Okunola was already doing some of his work.
Besides, it was gathered that the president was already putting up a team together that will help him.
The source stressed: “The National Social Investments Programme (NSIP) issue too, that wasn’t the person Asiwaju recommended for the position. Halima Sheu was the one recommended by Asiwaju. Sheu was sacked by Sadiya Farouq, the immediate past Minister of Humanitarian Affairs because she was campaigning for us. When she was sacked, Asiwaju promised to return her to the same position or a higher one.
“But the CoS also sold the position again. They had to fight it again before Halima Sheu came back to NSIP. Asiwaju is putting a team together outside CoS to help him with the system because the embarrassment is getting too much. The PPS, Akeem Okunola is already doing some of his work now.”