New Nigerian president retains security chiefs

ABUJA, May 30 (Reuters) New Nigerian President Umaru Yar'Adua has retained two top security chiefs from his predecessor's administration in his first appointments since taking office, the presidency said today.

The retention of former president Olusegun Obasanjo's chief of staff and national security adviser had been widely expected.

There is more uncertainty over who Yar'Adua will choose for key ministries such as finance and energy, and the leadership of the new National Assembly. These appointments have yet to be announced.

Yar'Adua, who took office on Tuesday, reappointed Abdullahi Mohammed as chief of staff and Sarki Muktar as national security adviser, the presidency said.

Farouk Lawan, a ruling party member of the House of Representatives, said: ''For the purpose of continuity and stability, it is good for him to keep some of his predecessor's key people.'' Yar'Adua's inauguration marked the first handover of power from one civilian leader to another in Africa's most populous nation. He is the first president without a military background in Nigeria for 17 years.

Yar'Adua also named Babagana Kingibe, a former foreign minister, as secretary to the government of the federation, a top administrative post which represents the presidency to ministries and civil servants.

He made one other appointment to the Federal Capital Territory, which administers Abuja, but has yet to announce the rest of his cabinet.

DEBT TO OBASANJO Yar'Adua is a former governor of the remote northern state of Katsina and owes his emergence as president almost exclusively to Obasanjo, who pushed him through the party primaries and led his campaign.

The elections that brought him to power were so tainted by rigging and violence that international observers said they were ''not credible''.

Yar'Adua now faces the delicate task of showing respect for his political godfather, while satisfying the hope of many Nigerians that he will break free from Obasanjo.

The former president's popularity suffered in the final months of his tenure because of electoral fraud, mud-slinging in the campaign and his autocratic leadership style.

Obasanjo automatically becomes chairman of the ruling People's Democratic Party and has said he expects it to set policy for the government to implement. Yar'Adua has said the party has a role to play, but that he derives his powers from the constitution.

Party officials say Yar'Adua is under enormous pressure from Obasanjo to accept his choices for the leadership of the National Assembly, which has veto rights over all legislation and also has powers of impeachment.

The day before he left office, Obasanjo told ruling party members that he had nominated two close allies for the leadership of the Senate and the House of Representatives.

The nominations have drawn criticism because both individuals supported a failed attempt in 2006 to rewrite the Nigerian constitution to allow Obasanjo to stay in power for longer.

REUTERS GL HT1802