Gambari can’t solve problem of cabal in govt, says professor

Jideofor Adibe, professor of political science and columnist, says Ibrahim Gambari, chief of staff to President Muhammadu Buhari, is not going to solve the problem of a cabal in government.

Gambari, former minister of external affairs, was officially announced as the president’s chief of staff on Wednesday.

Speaking on Politics Today, a Channels Television programme on Wednesday, Adibe said no matter how democratic an organisation is, there would be a competition to “exercise disproportionate influence”.

The professor said a small clique would always be triumphant, adding that Gambari would be part of the cabal “sooner or later”.

“Professor Gambari is not going to solve the problem of cabals in government. In political science we have what we call the ‘iron law of oligarchy’, that any organisation no matter how democratic they may have started, because authorities would have to be delegated, there would be competition in various centres of power to capture access or to exercise disproportionate influence,” he said.

“So a small clique will always become triumphant, which means that anytime you talk about government, you talk about struggle for state capture, you talk about cabal.

“Everyone will be cabal, sooner or later he will become part of the cabal that he would be able to exercise disproportionate influence.”

The columnist said Nigerians should not expect much from him.

“The president has a team of economic advisers, he has a minister of finance, he has a task force on COVID-19 and others. His job, as far as I can make it, is to advise,” he said.

“He looks at some of the positions that are being presented to the president and streamline them – narrow down the options. Sometimes, he doesn’t do this alone, he has his own staff, his own consultants to look at some of the proposals that are being sent to the president.”