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Except in the event of a last-minute change of mind, Nigeria’s media mogul, High Chief Raymond Aleogho Dokpesi, will be announced as the new Chief of Staff to President Goodluck Jonathan before the end of this week.

“The announcement may even be made today depending on the mood of Mr. President,” a source close to The Presidency told News Express. The source could not say if a new role would be found for the incumbent Chief of Staff, Chief Mike Oghiadomhe, or if he would be completely thrown ut of the government.

News Express had on July 16 exclusively reported that Dokpesi had been lined up to replace Oghiadomhe as Jonathan’s Chief of Staff in an imminent cabinet shake-up.

Dokpesi, whose media group, DAAR Communications Plc, operators of Africa Independent Television (AIT) and RayPower FM, has lately started to wear the pro-Jonathan garb, has worked tirelessly in the past few weeks to win over northern political hawks to President Jonathan’s side.

Dokpesi, 61, and Oghiadomhe, 55, are from Edo State in South-South Nigeria and both are chieftains of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), which has ruled Nigeria since the return of democracy in May 1999.

However, while Dokpesi brings a lot to the table in terms of his media group and his northern political contacts that includes former military president Ibrahim Babangida, Oghiadomhe’s only known asset is his his political godfather, Chief Anthony Anenih, the PDP Board of Trustees Chairman, who happens to be one of those Jonathan is counting on to help him win a second term in 2015. As News Express reported on July 16, “It is not clear if Anenih has finally agreed for Oghiadomhe to be dropped or if Jonathan has finally mustered the courage to do as he wishes and damn the consequences.”

•Photo shows High Chief Dokpesi.

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