Don’t Call Me ‘Your Excellency’, New SGF Mustapha Says As He Resumes Office

The new Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Boss Mustapha, has asked that he be addressed as ‘The SGF’ and not the popular nomenclature ‘Your Excellency’.

He said this while receiving handover documents from former acting SGF, Dr. Habitat Lawal.

Mustapha was sworn in by President Muhammadu Buhari on Wednesday before the commencement of the Federal Executive Council meeting.

His appointment followed the sack of Babachir Lawal who was alleged to have violated the law and due process in the award of contracts under the Presidential Initiative on the North East (PINE).

Mustapha, speaking to those in attendance at the brief ceremony, described ‘Executive Governor’, ‘Your Excellency’ appellations commonly used in Nigeria as unconstitutional.

“I will make a passionate appeal. I don’t know where you people get this ‘Your Excellency’ from. Some of the nomenclatures are banana peels.

“I often hear people say ‘Executive Governor,’ I say look at the constitution, there is nothing like executive governor. It is Governor of a state,” Mustapha said.

According to him, when political office holders begin to apply executive tag, they begin to softly conceptualise the people to take absolute authority.

“I want to simply be addressed as SGF please.

“I don’t claim any superior experience or skills other than the grace of God,” he added.