Haven lost his Senatorial bid, former Senate Minority Leader, Godswill Akpabio has reportedly begun moves to replace current Chief of Staff to the President, Abba Kyari.
Already, Senator Akpabio in the last few days is said to have had a couple of meetings with close confidants of the President and top officials to actualize his ambition to unseat Kyari.
Akpabio, according to sources, is of the opinion that should the President appoints him, a Christian from the core southern part of Nigeria into such a sensitive office, the current notion that Mr President is shielded by a cabal controlling the affairs of the state will die a natural death.
Akpabio is expected to tie the knots on that appointment with President Muhammadu Buhari as the latter is scheduled to visit Akwa Ibom State on Monday on a thank you tour where he will have a town hall meeting with a cross section of people from all walks of life.
The presidential advanced team has arrived Uyo, the Akwa Ibom State capital.
Other presidential advanced team scheduled to be in Imo State has moved over to Delta State in anticipation of the president’s visit.
The presidential source revealed that part of the Akpabio’s plan is to use the town hall parley in Uyo to instigate the audience to call for the redeployment of current top staff of INEC in the state, which should pave way for the ruling All Progressive Congress (APC) to take over the oil rich state.
The former Governor of Akwa Ibom State had made similar inroutes into the presidency during the Goodluck Jonathan era, knocking off the like of former Governor, Rotimi Amaechi, who eventually left the PDP in acrimonious circumstances.
Abba Kyari was appointed Chief of Staff to the president on 27th August 2015. He was preceded by Brig.-Gen Jones Oladehinde Arogbofa and Chief Mike Oghiadomhe, who both served under President Goodluck Jonathan.
