Jonathan appoints Atiku's running mate as Special Adviser

Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar's political ally, Senator Ben Obi and wife of former PDP Chairman Ahmadu Alli, Dr Mariam Ali were among the four special advisers sworn in yesterday by President Goodluck Jonathan.Obi, who was Atiku's running mate in the 2007 presidential election and Director-General of Atiku Campaign Organization in 2011, was appointed as the Special Adviser to the President on Inter-Party Affairs while Mariam was awarded the portfolio of Special Adviser to the President on Inter-governmental Affairs.Ahmed Gulak was also sworn in as Political Adviser to the President and Professor Tamunopriye Agiobenebo as Adviser on Economic Matters (Vice President's Office).Speaking shortly after the swearing-in, Jonathan said Nigeria, like any other society, must adjust to changes for it to grow and that his administration was willing to make the changes for the country to move forward.He said, 'Society will not ordinarily want to make changes especially when they don't even know if the changes will help them or it will not help them; but changes must be made for every society to grow. It is like development of every living thing, we must change from one state to the other. Nigeria must change and we have to make changes. So, you are coming on board to join others to effect the necessary changes that will improve on the lives of our people.'He said the advisers were appointed at a challenging period and called on them to justify their appointments.'We must build a solid political base for the economy to thrive. We believe you are quite experienced from your citation and you will bring your experience to bear to assist those of us already here to stabilise the polity, to strengthen our economy and to move Nigeria in the direction we expect,' Jonathan told the new appointees.
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