President Muhammadu Buhari says all requests by ministers-designate to meet with him should be channelled through Abba Kyari, his chief of staff.
This may effectively put a death knell on agitations against Kyari, who was reappointed in July by Buhari despite streets protests believed to have been orchestrated against him.
He is regarded as the most powerful aide to the president.
Buhari also said on Tuesday while speaking the close of the presidential retreat for ministers-designate in Abuja that all federal executive council (FEC) matters should be channelled to him through Boss Mustapha, secretary of the government of the federation (SGF).
“In terms of coordination, kindly ensure that all submissions for my attention or meeting requests be channeled through the chief of staff, while all federal executive council matters be coordinated through the secretary to the government of the federation,” he said.
Buhari said as leaders, their responsibility is to meet the basic needs of Nigerians adding that majority of the citizens are anxious.
“Ladies and Gentlemen, majority of our people are poor and are anxiously hoping for a better life. A Nigeria in which they do not have to worry about what they will eat, where they will live or if they can afford to pay for their children’s education or healthcare,” the president said
“Our responsibility as leaders of this great country is to meet these basic needs for our people. As I mentioned yesterday, this Administration inherited many challenges from our predecessors to mention a few:
“A country in which 18 local governments in the Northeast were under the control of Boko Haram; Decayed infrastructure in which our rail lines and roads had severely deteriorated; A rent seeking economy that depended largely on oil revenues and imports; Significant unpaid pensions, subsidy debts, legacy contractor debts. I can go on and on.”
Buhari said the ministers-designate should use this opportunity to serve Nigerians and the country is prosperous.
“You will find that working collaboratively and purposefully will enable us to achieve quicker results, recognizing that four years is not a very long time,” he said.
“For the new ministers, make sure you engage and benefit from the experience of the older ministers and former governors in the cabinet.”