9 most powerful people in Buhari's administration

Nigeria's president Muhammadu Buhari was sworn in as the country's 4th democratic president on May 29, 2015 after beating Goodluck Jonathan in an intense and heated presidential election.

Behind the facade of his tough man some politicians who the president respects. These persons influence the policy direction of the Muhammadu Buhari administration.

Legit.ng takes a look at 9 of those eminent personalities and why the president will listen to them:

1. Bola Ahmed Tinubu

The former senator and governor popularly called Jagaban  is the national leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC). His power goes across all political governors, senators, House of Reps who got elected through his party. His influence extends across all states and in Nigeria. Tinubu is sure and well close to the president and one of the major people behind the president's victory in the 2015 presidential elections.

It is alleged that Tinubu requests for whatever he wants from all APC governors,senators and more which indirectly puts him in a powerful position in Nigeria. He evens appears to be untouchable.

It must be said that Tinubu played a great role in the enthronement of the new administration of Muhammadu Buhari, first by securing a merger between their parties ACN and Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) and a couple of others and then kicking the former ruling People’s Democratic Party (PDP) out of power. It is not news that Tinubu also handpicked the Vice President who is his close friend.

READ ALSO: Pro-Buhari group: Buhari's administration is losing direction

2. Yemi Osinbajo

Osinbajo is the vice president of Nigeria, in office since May 29, 2015. He is also a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, and a Professor of Law until his inauguration as vice president.

The vice president is the next in post to the president which makes him a pretty high profile and powerful personality too. Also when the president is away from country he substitutes him.

3. Abba Kyari

Kyari the chief of staff has the ears of the president, no doubt. He plans Buhari’s schedule who to see and who he should not see.

Apart from his traditional roles as the chief of staff, Buhari made it mandatory that ministers must go through Kyari if they desired any contact with him. Buhari known for his bluntness, handed down the instruction on November 5, 2015 while declaring open a retreat organised by the Presidency for the then ministers-designate. “In addition, all communications and appointments from you (ministers) to the Presidency should be routed through the Office of the Chief of Staff as is normal in this Presidential System,” he said.

4. Theophilus Danjuma

Danjuma who is from Taraba state is a power broker is seen who always sought after by successive governments. He is one of Nigeria’s most influential and respected senior military officers ever. Reports state that he was one of the major sponsors of Buhari’s presidency.

He was also one of the most influential people during Buhari’s stewardship as head of state between 1984 and 1985. Buhari served under Gen Danjuma in the Army and they have known each other during war and peace times.

With interest in oil blocs, Danjuma is believed to played a major role in the emergence of Dr. Ibe Kachikwu as the Group Managing Director of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) and minister of state for petroleum resources.

Danjuma only recently urged the new administration to probe the outgoing administration of Dr Goodluck Jonathan.

5. Rotimi Amaechi

Amaechi's influence in this administration was directly felt during the ministerial screening exercise. Despite being indicted for corruption in a probe of his administration by his state government, he still scaled through to become a minister in a government whose mantra is "War Against Corruption".

It was also alleged that former River state governor, who is now the minister of transport, bankrupted Rivers state while he was governor so as to finance Buhari’s election.

6. Ismailia Funtua

Ismaila Isa Funtua is the Chairman of the popular Bulet International Construction Company. He is said to be a personal friend of the President, hence he has Buhari’s ears on national issues, including appointments.

Although Funtua, does not hold political office, he has much influence on the President even more than those who are holding offices.

He has been part of Buhari’s delegation on some of his foreign trips, including his official visit to the United States in July 2015.

7. Ibikunle Amosun

The Ogun state governor has remained a long time ally of the president since their days in the defunct All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP). They are said to be very close to the extent that Buhari passes the nights in Amosun’s houses in Lagos and Abeokuta.

It was alleged that Kemi Adeosun’s appointment as minister of finance which was influenced by Amosun was said to have further widened the political gap between the Ogun state governor and Asiwaju Bola Tinubu who was said to prefer Mr. Wale Edun to hold the position.

Amosun is also frequent at the Presidential Villa, holding talks with Buhari on a regular basis. When Buhari was expected in Lagos for a two-day official visit, Amosun was in the Villa holding talks with the president who had dispatched Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo to represent him.

READ ALSO: Buhari's government is weak - Ango Abdullahi

8. Mamman Daura

Daura is a nephew to Buhari, he is very close to the president. Hence, he has inputs in many of Buhari’s major decisions including appointments.

He is often seen with the president and travels with him. He is believed to have considerable inputs in the choice of those who emerged as ministers, especially those from the North.

Daura’s influence in government did not start today. He and Buhari belonged to a group called “Kaduna Mafia” which was a group of young Northern Nigerian intellectuals, civil servants, business tycoons and military officers residing or conducting business in the former Northern capital city of Kaduna during the end of the First Republic.

After the 1983 coup, he was one of the few personalities who played key advisory roles. In the late 1980s, he succeeded Ibrahim Dasuki as head of the African International Bank and also served as chairman of the board of the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA).

9. Nasir el-Rufai

The Kaduna state governor though not directly in the president's cabinet, has the president's ears in all important political matters. It is even rumoured that he was the one that vetted the ministerial list before it was sent to the senate.

By extension el-Rufau has considerable influence on Buhari which is not in doubt. He is one of the most regular state governors at the Presidential Villa. Sources within the Villa say that the governor doesn’t book his visits in advance. Protocols are simply waived for him. Owing to his closeness to the President, El-Rufai has been very influential in some of the major appointments so far made by the present administration.

Source: Legit.ng