Nigerian government declares new format of addressing Buhari

The Federal Government has released a new directive on how President Muhammadu Buhari should be addressed at formal functions.

This was as the President also directed ministers to inaugurate Federal Boards of agencies.

The two policies were contained in separate circulars by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF) Mr Boss Gida Mustapha.

“Government has observed with concern the inconsistent manner in which the President, Federal Republic of Nigeria is addressed during official and private functions. It has therefore become necessary to have a standard format for addressing him at such formal occasions,” Mustapha said in one of the circulars dated 26 January, 2018.

He said, “To this end, Mr President shall henceforth be addressed as “Muhammadu Buhari, President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria” except in purely Armed Forces Programmes, where “Commander-In-Chief of the Armed Forces of Federal Republic of Nigeria” will be added.

According to him the new directive indicates the president, though a retired Major General is not to be addressed by that military rank at formal functions.