The appointment of foremost Scholar-diplomat and former Nigeria’s Foreign Affairs Minister, Professor Ibrahim Gambari has continued to elicit thunderous applause as the Niger Delta Professionals(NDP) on Saturday hailed the appointment as a most welcome development.
In a statement signed on behalf of the NDP by its executive Secretary, Omeragua Omonemu, the coordinating body of professionals from the Niger Delta region described Gambari as Nigeria’s citizen of the world, an icon, consensus-builder and a most distinguished diplomat who would bring his enormous wealth of experience and skill-set to bear on the Buhari’s administration.
He said: “The appointment of an eminent diplomat, awesome consensus-builder, former Nigeria’s Foreign Affairs Minister, and Columbia University-trained international relations scholar-diplomat with an excellent resume and riveting background, Professor Agboola Ibrahim Gambari, as the new Chief of Staff to President Muhammadu Buhari comes to us at the NDP as the best key appointment that Mr. President has made since he came into power in 2015.
“We are proud to associate and applaud Professor Gambari’s appointment given his exciting and inspiring background as an accomplished scholar, committed team leader, an immensely talented team player with most significant well-meaning thoughts about public policy and global insights into the workings of public policy, public administration, governance, and global diplomacy.
We at NDP have no doubt that he will bring his enormous expertise, wealth of experience, and depth of character to bear in helping President Buhari move the nation forward” the group said.
Similarly, the Olu of Warri, Ogiame Ikenwoli hailed the appointment of Gambari as one that will make a lot of difference.
Appraising of the new Chief of Staff in a press statement made available to newsmen in Warri yesterday, the monarch described Prof. Gambari as a man of intellect, well-exposed well-read, a detribalized Nigerian and most importantly with a sound knowledge of all the geographical zones in the country.
According to him, “it is for these reasons therefore I write on behalf of myself and the entire people of Warri kingdom to congratulate him and wish him resounding success in this assignment.”
“Prof Gambari comes to this job with huge credentials, one of which is his versatile experience in conflict prevention and resolution, an experience that we hope he will bring to bear in performing his duties to assist the President in the continued peaceful resolution and development of the Niger Delta where God has chosen to locate us.”
“As a renowned teacher, scholar, diplomat, former minister, envoy, a man of faith and close associate of President Buhari over the years, I believe strongly that Prof Gambari will be very much at home with the task at hand to join the president in moving Nigeria to the much desired next level”, he explained.
The royal father, therefore, enjoined other well-meaning Nigerians to pray for him and Mr. President and call on Almighty God to guide this Prince of the royal court of the ancient kingdom of Ilorin, Kwara State, protect and give him the wisdom to succeed and execute this job in a most creditable manner.
