On Monday, President Muhammadu Buhari sacked Babachir Lawal, the suspended Secretary to the Government of the Federation, appointing Boss Mustapha as his replacement.
Until his appointment, Mustapha was the Managing Director/CEO of the National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA).
Mustapha, a practising lawyer was born in Adamawa State. He attended Hong Secondary School, in Hong Adamawa state and North East College of Arts and Sciences Maiduguri Borno state, crowning it with WASC and HSC in 1976. Mustapha bagged his Bachelor of Law (LL.B) from the Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria in 1979 and was called to bar in 1980.
He performed the compulsory National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) between 1980-81 – Directorate of Legal of Services at the Army Headquarters and was in charge of review of Court Marshall Proceedings.
After his National Service, he joined Sotesa Nigeria Limited, an Italian consultancy firm, as an Executive Director in charge of Administration, leaving in 1983 to join the prestigious law firm Messrs Onagoruwa & Co in Lagos.
After kick off his law practice, Mustapha was appointed Principal Counsel in the firm Messrs Mustapha & Associates.
From 2000 to 2007, Mustapha was appointed as a member of Interim Management Committee (IMC) of the defunct Petroleum (Special) Trust Fund (PTF). At the PTF, he was responsible for production of an up-to-date comprehensive project and programme report, including location, coverage and whether performed, performing or abandoned production of final report of Assets and Liabilities, examination of the Administrative structure and cost-effectiveness of Projects and Services among other duties.
After his stint at the PTF in 2007, Mr. Mustapha was appointed Principal Partner of the law firm, Adroit Lex.
Mustapha has been engaged in active politics since the late 1980s. He was a member of the Federal Republic of Nigeria Constituent Assembly (1988-1989), Chairman People’s Solidarity Party, Gongola State (1989-1990), state chairman, Social Democratic Party, Gongola State (1990-1991); and a one-time gubernatorial candidate for SDP in Adamawa state in 1991.
He was the Deputy National Chairman of the defunct Action Congress of Nigeria from 2010 to 2013. In 2007, he again played a prominent role, serving as the Deputy Director General of the party’s Presidential campaign Organisation. He maintained his political affiliation with the ACN, until the formation of the All Progressive Congress (APC). He was a member of NCC and Secretary APC Presidential Campaign Organisation Mobilisation (2015) and member, APC Transition Committee (2015). He is also a member, APC Board of Trustees.
Mustapha also played key leadership roles at the Nigeria Bar Association (NBA) serving as Social Secretary and Chairman at the Yola branch.
In addition to the NBA, the MD is a member of various professional bodies including African Bar Association (ABA), Commonwealth Lawyers Association, International Bar Association (IBA) and Human Rights Institute (HRI).
The new SGF is one who is not restricted to politics and the Bar; he is a respected boardroom guru, having been appointed into the boards of several companies in the manufacturing financial services as well as oil and gas sectors. He is the National Vice President, Full Gospel Business Men’s Fellowship International Nigeria.
Dolapo is a writer and journalist who works with YNaija. He has interests in Christianity, politics and sports.
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