Buhari sacks First Lady’s aide, Zainab Kazeem days after she traveled on train

President Muhammadu Buhari has approved the appointment of Muhammad Sani Zorro, journalist, politician and former lawmaker as the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Public Affairs and Strategy, Office of the First Lady.

The President has also approved with effect the disengagement of Zainab Kazeem, the Special Assistant to the President on Domestic and Social Events, Office of the First Lady.

The new appointment and disengagement were contained in a statement on Saturday, issued by the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Mallam Garba Shehu.

The statement explained that at the instance of the First Lady, Mrs Aisha Muhammadu Buhari, “the President also approved the immediate redeployment of three of the political appointees in her office to the office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, pending their assignment to some other government departments or agencies.”

Those affected by the redeployment are: Dr. Mohammed Kamal Abdulrahman, Senior Special Assistant to the President on Health and Development Partners and Personal Physician to the First Lady; Hadi Uba, Special Assistant to the President on Administration and Wole Aboderin, Special Assistant to the President on Non-Governmental Organisations, NGOs.

“Also approved with effect from 11th February is the disengagement of Zainab Kazeem, the Special Assistant to the President on Domestic and Social Events, Office of the First Lady,” it said.

Continuing, the statement said, “Zorro, a famous journalist brings to the new job decades-long experience in media practice, publishing and unionist leadership.

“He was at various times President, Nigeria Union of Journalists, NUJ, West African Journalists Association (WAJA) and the Federation of African Journalists, FAJ.

“He was in the House of Representatives where he chaired the committee on Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs), Refugees and Initiatives on North East.”