Nigeria Replaces Secretary to Government of the Federation

The president of Nigeria on return from his "pilgrimage" on lesser Hajj to the holy land of Saudi Arabia on September 8 2008 did something that was not expected: he sacked his Secretary Ambassador Baba Gana Kingibe who until his unceremonious removal was a high-ranking government official believed to exercise enormous influence at Aso Rock.

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It was not expected because Yar'adua it was himself who - as it was said - fought tooth and nail to place Kingibe in the exalted position. How he came to be so unceremoniously removed by the same president is now subject of many national commentaries. The most prominent is of course that he leaked reports of the failing health of Nigeria's president to the media. But there were others. Some say he was also scheming to become president of Nigeria even though the possiblity is still very far removed. There was absolutely no constitutional way for Baba Gana Kingibe to become president. He was not the Vice-President. Neither is he from a zone considered for the position. Nevertheless, that excuse for his removal seemed to have stuck.

The BBC reports that "there are rumours that the president was going to step down because of his ill-health and Mr Kingibe would step in as a kind of "puppet-master" Vice-President."

This is unfounded. The Nigerian constitution is very clear about the rules of succession.

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Mr Kingibe, from Borno state in north-west Nigeria, was the vice-presidential running mate to Chief MKO Abiola in the 1993 elections, annulled by former military ruler Ibrahim Babangida.

Baba also served as Minister of Internal Affairs, Minister of Power and Steel, Nigeria's Ambassador to Greece and Pakistan.

Asked for comments after his sudden sack, the former SGF said that he had no regrets.