Between himself, his wife and close lieutenants, President Muhammadu Buhari has at least 101 aides, PREMIUM TIMES can report.
However, over 50 percent of those aides are attached to the office of the vice president.
PREMIUM TIMES has obtained a list of presidential appointees serving as aides to President Buhari, his wife, Aisha Buhari, the vice president, Yemi Osinbajo, and other government officials.
Apart from the two men, Mr. Buhari’s Chief of Staff, Abba Kyari, has eight aides attached to him.
Attorney General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami, has six presidential aides atttached to his office, while the Secretary to the Government of the Federation has five of such aides.
The wife of the president has three recognised aides while the two presidential media assistants are attached to the Minister of information and Culture, Lai Mohammed.
Mr. Osinbajo is said to have appointed at least 15 of those aides between June and August, 2017 when Mr. Buhari was away on medical vacation.
‘ALL THE PRESIDENT’S MEN’
The list shows that Mr. Buhari’s office has aides on wide range of issues, from key areas of administration and media to social events and housekeeping.
The area with the highest number of aides is media, which has eight appointees – at least one known media aide of the president is however not listed.
The eight in the list, apart from the two official spokespersons of the president, include two aides on new/social media, two on photography and one aide each for “TV Media” and “Broadcast Media”.
LION SHARE FOR OSINBAJO
But while Mr. Buhari has a total number of 24 aides, Mr. Osinbajo has 52, going by the list.
Apart from the initial 21 appointees in the office of the vice president, who handle key areas from economy to social investment programme and media, the vice president has another list of 31 aides to his name.
For the latter list of 31, the aides are grouped into two; 14 are identified as donor funded while the rest are categorised as “government funded”.
Those identified as being funded by donors include senior special assistants on power, IDPs, power privatization, monitoring and evaluation, among others.
Omissions
However, like a previous list of appointees officially released by the president, this list is also not without omissions.
Omitted from the list, by PREMIUM TIMES’s check, are at least one aide each for Mr. Buhari and Mr. Osinbajo.
Bashir Ahmad, a Personal Assistant of Mr. Buhari on New Media is excluded so also is a special assistant to the president on inter-governmental affairs, working in the office of the vice president, Abdulrahman Baffa Yola.
The list also does not include security personnel and civil servants attached to these individuals, who an insider said are also in their dozens.
For example, both the president and the vice president are said to have protocol officers and chief security officers.
The president also has an army colonel serving as his Aide de Camp, ADC. A senior police officer is serving the vice president in similar role.
“This is in addition to a routine of other officials deployed from all over the government to serve the two men,” a presidency source said.
SEE FULL LIST BELOW
| LIST OF POLITICAL APPOINTEES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| S/No. | NAMES | PORTFOLIO | DATE |
| POLITICAL APPOINTEES BY THE PRESIDENT | |||
| 1 | Mrs. Anne H. Ewohime | Special Assistant (Catering Services) to the President | |
| 2 | Saleh Yuguda | Special Assistant (House Keeping) to the President | |
| 3 | Mr. Garba Shehu | Senior Special Assistant (Media and Publicity) to the President | |
| 4 | Mr. Sarki Abba | Senior Special Assistant (Household & Social Events) to the President | |
| 5 | Mr. Sabi’u Yusuf | Special Assistant (Personal Assistant) to the President | |
| 6 | Mr. Femi Adesina | Special Adviser (Media and Publicity) to the President | |
| 7 | Ya’u Shehu Darazo | Senior Special Assistant to the President (Special Duties) | |
| 8 | Dr. Suhayb Sanusi Rafindadi | Personal Physician to the President | |
| 9 | Mohammad Hamisu Sani | Special Assistant to the President (Special Duties) | |
| 10 | Brig. Gen. P T Boroh (rtd) | Special Adviser to the President/Coordinator, Amnesty Programme | |
| 11 | Mallam Abba Kyari | Chief of Staff to the President | |
| 12 | Ahmed Muhammadu Mayo | Special Assistant on Finance and Administration | |
| 13 | Tolu Ogunlesi | Special Assistant on Digital/News Media | |
| 14 | Nasiru Adhama | Special Assistant on Youth and Student Affairs | |
| 15 | Ayuba Balami | Special Assistant on Social Events | |
| 16 | Bayo Omoboriowo | Personal Assistant to the President (Presidential Photographer) | |
| 17 | Sunday Aghaeze | Personal Assistant to the President (State Photographer) | |
| 18 | Naziru Mohammad Bashiru | Personal Assistant to the President (TV Media) | |
| 19 | Shaaban Ibrahim Ibrahim Sanda | Personal Assistant to the President (Broadcast Media) | |
| 20 | Lauretta Onochie | Personal Assistant to the President (Social Media) | |
| 21 | Dr. Samuel Ankeli | Senior Special Assistant on Physically Challenged | |
| 22 | Abike Dabiri-Erewa | Senior Special Assistant to the President on Foreign Affairs & Diaspora | |
| 23 | Princess (Mrs. Adejoke O. Adefulire | Senior Special Assistant on Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) | |
| 24 | Shehu Garba | Special Assistant on Physically Challenged | |
| VICE PRESIDENT | |||
| 1 | Dr. Balkisu Saidu | Senior Special Assistant to the President on Research, Legal & Compliance Matters | |
| 2 | Mr. Adeola Rahman Ipaye | Deputy Chief of Staff to the President | |
| 3 | Mr. Laolu Akande | Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity | |
| 4 | Mrs. Maryam Uwais | Special Adviser (Social Investment) | |
| 5 | Mr. Emmanuel Oludolapo Bright | Senior Special Assistant to the President on Economic Management Team | |
| 6 | Mr. Edobor Iyamu | Senior Special Assistant to the President on Economic Affairs | |
| 7 | Mr. Ismaeel Ahmed | Senior Special Assistant to the President on Social Investment Programmes | |
| 8 | Ms. Olayinka Oyeneyin | Senior Special Assistant to the President on Project Management | |
| 9 | Fadi Rose Audu | Special Assistant to the President on Domestic Matters | |
| 10 | Mr. Omolayo Akinfala | Special Assistant to the President on Protocol | |
| 11 | Ms. Imeh Patience Okon | Senior Special Assistant to the President on Infrastructure | |
| 12 | Miss Lillian Idiaghe | Special Assistant to the President on Legal Matters | |
| 13 | Mr. Arukaino Thomas Umukoro | Special Assistant to the President on Communication Projects | |
| 14 | Mr. Daniel Oseaga Ikuenobe | Special Assistant to the President on Economic Recovery & Growth Plan | |
| 15 | Mr. Folarin Alayande | Special Assistant to the President on Economic Recovery & Growth Plan | |
| 16 | Dr. Effiong Essien | Special Assistant to the President on Economic Recovery & Growth Plan | |
| 17 | Olaolu Beckley | Special Assistant to the President on Documentation | |
| 18 | Novo Isioro | Special Assistant to the President on Visual Communication | |
| 19 | Ambassador Abdullahi Gwary | Senior Special Assistant to the President on Foreign Affairs | |
| 20 | Feyishayo Aina | Special Assistant to the President (Strategic Communications) | |
| 21 | Hon. Gambo Manzo | Personal Assistant to the President (Political) | |
| DONOR FUNDED | |||
| 1 | Mrs. Damilola Ogunbiyi | Senior Special Assistant Power | |
| 2 | Dr. Mariam Masha | Senior Special Assistant (IDPs) | |
| 3 | Mr. Chiedu Ugho | Senior Special Assistant (Power Privatization) | |
| 4 | Mr. Runde Osibamowo | Senior Special Assistant (Monitoring and Evaluation) | |
| 5 | Dr. Jumoke Oduwole | Senior Special Assistant (Trade and Investment) | |
| 6 | Mr. Muktar Tijina | Special Assistant (Power) | |
| 7 | Mr. Tochi Nwachukwu | Special Assistant (Power Privatization) | |
| 8 | Mr. Mohammed Brimah | Special Assistant (IDPs) | |
| 9 | Mr. Yahaya Maibe | Special Assistant (Social Investments) | |
| 10 | Mr. Peter Dimike | Special Assistant (Economic Matters) | |
| 11 | Mr. Adedeji Adeyemi | Special Assistant (NEC Affairs) | |
| 12 | Mrs. Jibola Ajayi | Special Assistant (BPE Affairs) | |
| 13 | Mr. Ife Adebayo | Special Assistant (Innovation and Entrepreneurship) | |
| 14 | Mr. Myani Bukar | Special Assistant (Legal Matters) | |
| GOVERNMENT FUNDED | |||
| 15 | Dr. Adeyemi Depeolu | Special Adviser (Economic Matters) | |
| 16 | Senator Femi Ojudu | Special Adviser (Political Matters) | |
| 17 | Dr. Nicholas Audifferem | Special Adviser (Research, Legal and Compliance) | |
| 18 | Mr. Ayoleke Adu | Senior Special Assistant (Economic Matters) | |
| 19 | Mrs. Foluso Idumu | Senior Special Assistant (Administration) | |
| 20 | Mr. Lanre Osibona | Senior Special Assistant (ICT and Logistics) | |
| 21 | Mr. Sesan Adeboyejo | Senior Special Assistant (Documentation) | |
| 22 | Mr. Tola Asekun | Senior Special Assistant (Budget) | |
| 23 | Mr. Donald Wokoma | Special Assistant (NEC Matters) | |
| 24 | Mr. Bege Bala | Special Assistant (NCP/BPE) | |
| 25 | Mr. Dotun Adebayo | Special Assistant (Privatization) | |
| 26 | Mr. Yosola Dawodu | Special Assistant (Protocol) | |
| 27 | Dr. Abiodun Adelowo | Personal Physician | |
| 28 | Mrs. Koko Iyamu | Special Assistant (Admin) | |
| 29 | Ms. Susan Chagwa | Special Assistant Household and Social Events | |
| 30 | Tayo Basirat Fakorede | Special Assistant (Special Duties) | |
| 31 | Mosope Olaosebikan | Special Assistant (Media and ICT) | |
| SECRETARY TO THE GOVERNMENT OF THE FEDERATION | |||
| 1 | Mr. Gideon Samani | Senior Special Assistant to the President (Political) | |
| 2 | Prof. A. K. Usman | Senior Special Assistant on Legal, Research and Documentation | |
| 3 | Ayuba Musa Birma | Special Assistant to the President (Political) | |
| 4 | Umaru Waziri Kumo | Personal Assistant to the President (Special Duties) | |
| 5 | Ibrahim Bapetel Hassan | Senior Special Assistant to the President (Policy Development & Analysis) | |
| CHIEF OF STAFF | |||
| 1 | Mallam Tijjani Yusuf | Special Assistant (General Duties) to the President | |
| 2 | Ahmed Rufa’i Abubakar | Senior Special Assistant to the President on Foreign Affairs/Int. Relations | |
| 3 | Lai Yahaya | Senor Special Assistant to the President on Policy and Strategy | |
| 4 | Fola Oyeyinka | Senior Special Assistant to the President on Economic Matters | |
| 5 | Bode Oyetunde | Senior Special Assistant to the President on Finance and Fiscal Policy | |
| 6 | Farouk Gumel | Senior Special Assistant to the President on Special Duties | |
| 7 | Musa Shafi’i | Senior Special Assistant to the President on Administration | |
| 8 | Abdul Mutallab Muktar | Senior Special Assistant to the President on General Duties | |
| The Wife of the President | |||
| 1 | Dr. Mohammed Kamal Abdulrahman | Personal Physician to the Wife of the President | |
| 2 | Hadi Uba | Special Assistant to the President (Admin II) to the Wife of the President | |
| 3 | Dr. Hajo Sani | Senior Special Assistant (Admin) to the Wife of the President | |
| ATTORNEY GENERAL OF THE FEDERATION | |||
| 1 | Alhaji Ahmadu Giade | Special Assistant to the President on Narcotic Drugs & Psychotropic Substances | |
| 2 | Mr. Sylvester Imhanobe | Special Assistant to the President on Research/Special Duties | |
| 3 | Mrs. Juliet Chikaodili Ibekaku Nwagwu | Special Assistant to the President on Reforms | |
| 4 | Mr. Abiodun Ayodeji Aikomo | Special Assistant to the President on Financial Crimes | |
| 5 | Mr. Kehinde Isaac Oginni | Special Assistant to the President on Financial Crimes | |
| 6 | Chief Okoi Ofem Obono – Obla | Special Assistant to the President on Prosecution | |
| MINISTER OF INFORMATION | |||
| 1 | Mr. Williams Adeleye | Special Assistant to the President on Media (SA to Minister of Information) | |
| 2 | Mr. Segun Adeyemi | Special Assistant on Media (SA to Minister of Information) | |
| 1 | Mr. Ben Ifeanyi Akabueze |