Gov. Zulum appoints Prof. Marte as new Chief of Staff

By Hamza Suleiman

Borno State Governor Babagana Zulum has approved the appointment of Prof. Isa Marte as his new Chief Of Staff.

Malam Isa Gusau, Special Assistant on Media and Strategy to the Governor, made the announcement in a statement on Wednesday.

Gusau said that Marte, a serving Commissioner for Higher Education, since August 2019, was to replace Dr Babagana Wakil, who passed on July 1, 2020, in Maiduguri after a protracted illness.

“Prof Marte is to handover to Dr Babagana Mustapha Mallumbe, whose new ministry will be Higher Education, Science, Technology and Innovation. A merger of the two ministries is in line with the administration’s public service reforms.

“Marte, the incoming chief of staff, is a Professor of Pharmacology with a specialty in cancer research and a fellow of the Nigerian Academy of Science.

“Zulum’s choice of Prof. Isa Hussaini Marte is in recognition of his proven capacity, a strong passion for development, unbending principles that align with the governor’s, and above all, his proven integrity,” Gusau said.

Gusau said that Marte was expected to work efficiently to coordinate all affairs of the Government House to enable the full attainment of governor Zulum’s vision of a better state.

The governor’s media aide said Marte would be sworn-in on Monday “as the governor looks forward to working with him at a higher level.