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Tag: Osinbajo

Northern elders to Osinbajo: Be wary of mischief makers

The Northern Elders’ Forum (NEF) on Thursday in Kano urged Acting President Yemi Osinbajo to be wary of mischievous elements plotting to overheat the polity by taking advantage of President Muhammadu Buhari’s absence to achieve dubious political goals.

NEF, in a communiqué issued at the end of its two-day emergency meeting in Kano, also warned those seeking undeserved political advantage to desist from such moves.

The Forum said the North is conscious of its obligations and rights and will not hesitate to discharge and defend them without reservations.

The communiqué signed by NEF Deputy Leader, Chief Wantaregh Paul Unongo and its Spokesman, Prof. Ango Abdullahi, said the group is aware that attempts are being made to exploit the absence of President Buhari to achieve dubious political goals.

It, however, advised Osinbajo to “exercise responsibilities as he did in the past with commitment, sensitivity and respect for the constitution.”

“We urge him to ignore mischief makers which seek to pitch him against the President or the Nigerian people whose mandates they both exercise.”

“The task of governing the nation will continue uninterrupted until the return of President Buhari. We therefore appeal to all persons with responsibility to cooperate fully to sustain a united, focused and committed administration.

“While commending the sterling contributions of Senate President, Abubakar Bukola Saraki and Speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara, in providing the necessary leadership to stabilize the polity, we appeal to the executive and legislative arms of government to work together to pass the 2017 budget without further delay,” the Forum stated.

NEF aligned itself with the ongoing campaign against corruption in the country, saying “we also expect that the war against corruption will not suffer a setback and current investigations and activities will not be stalled due to the absence of President Buhari.”

May 11, 2017
Fani Kayode out to destroy Buhari, Osinbajo – Yoruba youths

Yoruba youths, under the aegis of Concerned O’oduwa Progressive Youth Assembly, COPYA, have accused former Minister of Aviation, Femi Fani Kayode on trying to destroy President Muhammadu Buhari and his vice, Prof Yemi Osinbajo.

The group said the verbal attacks on the presidency by Fani-Kayode, a chieftain of the PDP does not show that he is a true Yoruba man, which he claims to be.

FFK, as Fani is fondly called had in the recent times described as a ‘slave to dark and shameless cabal’ in Aso Rock.

“We have a Vice President who has been held captive and who is now a slave to some dark, sinister, evil and shameless cabal,” Fani-Kayode once wrote in an article.

Addressing newsmen in Lagos on Thursday, the national coordinator of COPYA, Kola Salawu, said it was shameful that Fani-kayode who should be supporting his fellow Yroubaman, Osinbajo was hell bent on destroying this administration.

The group said Fani-Kayode’s campaign is targeted on driving a wedge between the smooth running relationship between Osinbajo and his boss who are currently enjoying the best of relationship.

Salawu said, “We will specifically address the activities of one Femi Fani-Kayode also known as FFK. You might have known him as the former Minister of Aviation that is currently scurrying from one court to another over cases of graft brought against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

“The alleged crimes date as far back as when he was in office as an appointee of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP). He is someone who had the benefit of being in office courtesy of a political party which blatantly stated that “stealing is not corruption”.

The group further urged Osinbajo to ignore the ethnic drums being beaten by Fani-Kayode and his likes knowing well that such characters are alone in this endeavour.

“The Acting President must not heed the call for war being chorused by this rubble and must not allow himself to be dragged into dirty politics at the detriment of his spiritual and professional calling as an accomplished Nigerian before venturing into politics.

“If FFK truly has the interest of the Yoruba race at heart, he should immediately declare a ceasefire on issues pertaining to the President’s health and surrender to the supremacy of Tinubu as the leader of the Yoruba nation as far as Nigerian politics is concerned. He has unequivocally demanded a ceasefire from all peace-loving Yoruba sons and daughters in the media and holding other assets of propaganda.
“We demand that Femi Fani-Kayode and his likes immediately withdraw the call for war in the interest of the country’s peace and unity.”

May 11, 2017
Osinbajo, Sambo meet in Aso Rock

Acting President Yemi Osinbajo yesterday met with the immediate past Vice President, Namadi Sambo, at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

Sambo arrived at the vice president’s office around 4p.m.

Osinbajo came out of his office to receive Sambo and led him to the closed door meeting.

Speaking with State House correspondents at the end of the meeting, Sambo said: “I have come to pay a visit to Mr. Vice President and Mr. Acting President. It is a usual familiarisation visit.

“As you know, former Presidents visit Mr. President and former Vice Presidents visit the Vice President.

“I am happy to see all of you, our good friends. I want to thank you very much for this reception,” he added

He then declined to answer any further questions as he walked past reporters.

May 10, 2017
Osinbajo’s acting presidency is automatic, say Olanipekun, Agbakoba

Senior lawyers on Wednesday said Vice President Yemi Osinbajo automatically become the Acting President once President Muhammadu Buhari transmitted a letter to the Senate in line with Section 145(1) of the 1999 Constitution.

They said the President’s description of Osinbajo as the person to “coordinate activities of the government” does not vitiate the constitutional provision.

President Buhari’s May 5 letter to the Senate reads in part: “In compliance with Section 145 {1) of the 1999 constitution as amended, I wish to inform the distinguished Senate that I will be away for a scheduled medical follow-up with my doctors in London.

“While I am away, the Vice President will coordinate the activities of the government.”

To the lawyers, the wordings of the letter do not affect Osinbajo’s authority as Acting President with full executive powers.

Those who spoke included former Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) presidents, Chief Wole Olanipekun (SAN) and Dr. Olisa Agbakoba (SAN); Mallam Yusuf Ali (SAN), Prof. Koyinsola Ajayi (SAN), Abiodun Owonikoko (SAN), Chief Mike Ozekhome (SAN), activist-lawyer Ebun-Olu Adegboruwa and Lagos lawyer, Clement Onwuenwunor.

Section 145(1) provides: “Whenever the President is proceeding on vacation or is otherwise unable to discharge the functions of his Office, he shall transmit a written declaration to the President of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives to that effect, and until he transmits to them a written declaration to the contrary, the Vice-President shall perform the functions of the President as Acting President.”

Olanipekun said there is no provision for the position of “Coordinating Officer/President/Vice-President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria” in the Constitution, adding that the letter was not properly drafted.

“Prof. Osinbajo is either addressed as Vice-President or Acting President; and in the present circumstance, and not minding the crafting and language of President Buhari’s letter to the National Assembly, Prof. Osinbajo automatically assumed office as Acting President by constitutional imperatives.

“He cannot be addressed as Coordinating Officer but as Acting President. Those who drafted this letter for President Buhari have not been fair to him or the nation,” Olanipekun said.

To him, Osinbajo assumed the position of the Acting President based on what the constitution dictates, and based not on Buhari’s wishes.

“No special favour is being done to the Vice-President by the transmission of a letter by the President to the National Assembly under and by virtue of section 145(1) of the Constitution, as that section is self-executory, meaning that on the transmission of a letter to the National Assembly, the Constitution employs the use of the word ‘shall’ to install the Vice-President as the Acting President.

“It is a constitutional appointment which takes effect from the moment the President informed the National Assembly that he was proceeding on medical leave.

“The words employed in President Buhari’s letter cannot derogate from or override the mandatory provision of section 145(1).

“Apart from this, under and by virtue of section 142(1) of the Constitution, both the President and Vice-President contested on a joint and single ticket, which is inseparable.

“Having said this, my reservation still lies in the fact that a good number of Nigerians still surprisingly hold on to the thinking that government and governance should be personalised, and that by alluding to ‘government of Nigeria’, they ignorantly zero in on individuals.

“There cannot be any vacuum in government and governance anywhere in the world, and the Constitution also states this very clearly and unambiguously in Section 142(1).

“To me, this should be the end of the discussion and debate; as there is a world of difference between a Coordinator and a constitutionally appointed Acting President,” Olanipekun said.

Agbakoba said the “controversy” created by President Buhari’s choice of words was unnecessary.

“I am concerned by the unnecessary controversy. I believe it is a distraction by politicians. The nomenclature used by the President to describe his Vice President does not matter.

“What matters to the average long suffering Nigerian is good governance. Will the Acting President create jobs; provide water, roads, electricity, food, etc. This is what is important,” Agbakoba said.

For Ali, the letter’s content is not important.

“Once the President transmits a letter that he will be away, the Vice President by operation of Section 145 of the Constitution transmutes as Acting President ipso facto (by that very fact or act),” Ali said.

May 10, 2017
Photos: FEC meeting presided over by Osinbajo

May 10, 2017
Osinbajo presides over FEC meeting

Acting President Yemi Osinbajo on Wednesday presided over the Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting at the Presidential Villa, Abuja

The meeting started around 10:00 a.m. when Osinbajo called for the rendition of the National anthem.

All FEC meetings since President Muhammadu Buhari returned to Nigeria on March 10 commenced by 11:00 a.m.

But Wednesday meeting, which followed the President’s latest medical trip to the United Kingdom, started at 10:00 a.m. with many ministers still absent when it commenced.

May 10, 2017
Osinbajo is Ag. President

Buhari’s letter sparks row in Senate

SENATORS were yesterday locked in a big argument over the President’s medical leave letter.

At issue was President Muhammadu Buhari’s description of Acting President Yemi Osinbajo as the person to “coordinate activities of the government”.

But to Senate Leader Ahmed Lawan, it was all a storm in a teacup. He criticised the point of order raised by Senator Mao Ohuabunwa.

Senate President Bukola Saraki then upheld Lawan’s argument and declared Osinbajo Acting President.

It was all at the Senate plenary after Saraki read the letter from the President who has travelled to London on “medical follow-up”.

However, at the House of Representatives, there was no controversy when the letter was read by Speaker Yakubu Dogara.

President Buhari’s May 5 letter states that while he is away, the vice president will “coordinate activities of the government”.

The length of his stay in London will be determined by his doctor’s advice, the letter states.

The letter reads: “In compliance with Section 145 {1) of the 1999 constitution as amended, I wish to inform the distinguished Senate that I will be away for a scheduled medical follow-up with my doctors in London.

“The length of my stay will be determined by the doctor’s advice.

“While I am away, the vice president will coordinate the activities of the government. Please accept the distinguished Senate president the assurances of my highest consideration.”

Hardly had Saraki concluded reading the letter than Senator Ohuabunwa raised a Point of Order.

Ohuabunwa (Abia North) had noted that the Constitution had no provision for a coordinating president or a coordinating vice president.

He said presidential letters to “the Senate, the highest legislative body in the country, should be direct and unambiguous.”

Ohuabunwa said: “Whenever the president transmits to the president of the Senate and the speaker of the House of Representatives a written declaration that he is proceeding on vacation or otherwise that he is unable to discharge the functions of his office, until he transmits to them a written declaration to the contrary, such function shall be discharged by vice president as acting president.

“Mr. President I don’t think in our Constitution we have anything like ‘coordinating president or coordinating vice president’.

“It is either you are vice president or you are acting president and any letter should be unambiguous and very clear.

“So, I’m saying that this letter really does not convey anything because coordinating has no space or any place in our Constitution.

“We have been having letters like this and you tell us who is the acting president and we know who to deal with as a Senate.

“This is the highest legislative body of the country and if you are sending us letter it should be direct and unambiguous. So, I am saying that this letter for me is not right and maybe should be sent back.”

Lawan urged the Senate to disregard Ohuabunwa’s point of order noted that Section 145 (1) of the Constitution which President Buhari quoted is clear on who should act in the absence of Mr. President.

The Yobe North lawmaker said any other word contained in the presidential letter is irrelevant

Lawan said: “Mr. President, let me say that the Point of Order raised by my colleague and the explanation that subsequently followed shouldn’t have been.

“I still rely on the first paragraph of that letter which Mr. President wrote to this Senate and read by the President of the Senate and I will read Section (145), which reads, ‘whenever the President transmits to the President of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives a written declaration that he is proceeding on vacation…”

“Any other word in this letter or indeed anywhere else is irrelevant. I therefore feel that Mr. President has done what the Constitution requires him to do and I urge this Senate not to go ahead to discuss this because it’s not an issue.

“We have the budget and so many other serious issues for us to discuss and Nigerians are waiting.”

Senate President agreed with Lawan that Section 145 quoted in the presidential letter is unambiguous.

He said the Senate should always be guided by the provisions of the Constitution in carrying out its legislative functions.

“I think it is a very clear issue and what we should be guided by is the Constitution.

“I think that it is clear, the letter has referred to the Constitution and there is no ambiguity in the Constitution.

“So, I don’t think there is any issue there. Let me rule you out of order Senator Mao.”

Some of the lawmakers insisted that “leaving out the fact that the Vice President should act in the absence of the President may have been “deliberate to create avoidable confusion”.

According to one of them, “this is not the first time President Buhari left the country for medical attention and it was clear in his letter to the Senate the fact the vice president should act in his absence in line with the Constitution.

“This time around ‘coordinating the affairs of government’ crept in.

“It should be abundantly stated that the vice president is the acting president . Any other coinage, including the so-called ‘coordinating affairs of government’, is not necessary.”

In a letter to the Senate in January, President Buhari specifically said “while I am away, the vice president will perform the functions of my office.”

This time around, President Buhari said that the vice president will “coordinate affairs of government.”

May 10, 2017
Updated: Osinbajo is acting President – Senate

What could have resulted in a major constitutional crisis over the medical leave embarked on by President Muhammadu Buhari was averted in the Senate on Tuesday.

It centered on the ambiguity in President Buhari’s letter informing the Senate that he was proceeding on a follow up medical leave to London, United Kingdom.

Relying on Section 145 of the Constitution which was also quoted in President Buhari’s letter, the Senate said Vice President Yemi Osinbajo is Acting President since there is no provision for Coordinating Vice President in the Constitution.

President Buhari had in letter dated May 5, 2017 which was read by Senate President, Bukola Saraki, informed the Senate that he would be away for a scheduled medical follow up with his doctors in London.

The President also told the Senate that while he was away, the vice president will “coordinate activities of the government.”

He said the length of his stay in London will be determined by his doctor’s advice.

The letter read “In compliance with section 145 {1) of the 1999 Constitution as amended. I wish to inform the distinguished Senate that I will be away for a scheduled medical follow up with my doctors in London.

“The length of my stay will be determined by the doctor’s advice.

“While I am away the vice president will coordinate the activities of the government. Please accept the distinguished Senate President the assurances of my highest consideration.”

Hardly had Saraki concluded reading the letter when Senator Mao Ohuabunwa queried the wordings of the presidential letter through a Point of Order.

Ohuabunwa, who represents Abia North Senatorial District, noted that the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria has no provision for a coordinating president of a coordinating vice president.

He said the presidential letters to the Senate, the highest legislative body of the country “should be direct and unambiguous.”

Ohuabunwa said, “Whenever the President transmits to the president of the Senate and the speaker of the House of Representatives a written declaration that he is proceeding on vacation or otherwise that he is unable to discharge the functions of his office, until he transmits to them a written declaration to the contrary, such function shall be discharge by vice president as acting president.

“Mr. President I don’t think in our constitution we have anything like coordinating president or coordinating vice president.

“It is either you are vice president or you are acting president and any letter should be unambiguous and very clear.

“So, am saying that this letter really does not convey anything because coordinating has no space or any place in our constitution.

“We have been having letters like this and you tell us who is the acting president and we know who to deal with as a Senate.

“This is the highest legislative body of the country and if you are sending us letter, it should be direct and unambiguous. So, I am saying that this letter for me is not right and maybe should be sent back.”

Senate Leader, Senator Ahmed Lawan, disagreed with the Point Order and asked the Senate to disregard it.

Lawan noted since President Buhari cited Section 145 (1) of the Constitution in the letter, he was very clear on who should act in his absence.

The Yobe North lawmaker said any other word contained in the presidential letter was irrelevant.

Lawan said, “Mr. President, let me say that the Point of Order raised by my colleague and the explanation that subsequently followed shouldn’t have been.

“I still rely on the first paragraph of that letter which Mr. President wrote to this Senate and read by the President of the Senate and I will read section (145) which reads whenever the President transmits to the President of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives a written declaration that he is proceeding on vacation…”

“Àny other word in this letter or indeed anywhere else is irrelevant. I therefore feel that Mr. President has done what the constitution requires him to do and I urge this Senate not to go ahead to discuss this because it is not an issue.”

May 9, 2017
Victims of attacks will be catered for, says Osinbajo

ACTING President Yemi Osinbajo has promised a review of welfare packages to the victims of Boko Haram insurgents, especially those in Chibok community, Borno State.
Osinbajo made the promise last night receiving Borno Elders, led by the Governor Kashim Shettima at the Presidential Villan in Abuja on a thank-you visit for the safe return of the 82 Chibok schoolgirls.
The current allocation for humanitarian services in the region, he noted, was grossly inadequate to cater for the traumatised people of the community.
He said: “We thank God for bringing back our girls from captivity. For anyone who is a parent, it is just a very traumatic thing. We deserve to be excited that this is happening and we pray that the others will come back.
“What has happened is largely on the account of the international community. They believed in the integrity of the President. So, many have sacrificed so much in the course of this insurgency.”
Shettima expressed the delegation’s profound gratitude to Buhari’s government for the safe return of the 82 girls.
“We are here principally to thank Mr. President, you and all senior adies to Mr. President, DSS DG, the Army for bringing back our girls. President Buhari has the country at heart. We must as Nigerians thank God for Mr. President.”

May 9, 2017
PPP inevitable for economic growth, says Osinbajo

•’Making Nigeria economy work won’t be easy task’

Acting President Yemi Osinbajo said yesterday that partnership between public and private sectors is very important to grow the economy.
He spoke at the Third Presidential Quarterly Business Forum at the old Banquet Hall of the State House, Abuja.
Stressing that the government cannot provide all the services to Nigerians, he said the government is providing all the enabling environment and will not compete with the private sector in the provision of services.
He said: “The real challenge is how to efficiently and faithfully implement these great ideas. I think for effective delivery, this partnership with the private sector is undoubtedly the way to go.
“So, our approach in this respect and other sectors, the delivery unit will invite and work with private sector players in our delivery clusters to deliver on quality and value in all these various sectors. This we will do in all the identified sectors.
“We will make ourselves accessible to you as much as possible.”
He, however, warned that trying to get the economy to work will not be an easy task.
According to him, it will take time and commitment to achieve.
Minister of Budget and National Planning Udoma Udo Udoma noted that the newly launched Economy Recovery Growth Plan (ERGP) is to get Nigeria out of recession and put it on the path of growth.
According to him, a lot of measures are already moving Nigeria in the right direction, even though there is still more to be done.
Urging the gathering to be forthcoming on the constraints they are facing in their various sectors, he said Nigeria wants to leverage the power of the private sector.
He said the government would leave no stone unturned to change Nigeria from a consuming to a producing nation.
“We are here to focus on converting the plan into actions. Each action to be supported by clearly assigned responsibilities,” he said.
Many special task forces in various parts of the plan, he said, were already on ground to ensure success of the plan.
At the forum, Minister of Information Lai Mohammed made presentation on the Strategy Framework for Developing the Creative Industry.
The strategy, he said, is to see how the sector can boost its contributions to the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and grow over one million jobs.
Minister of Communications Adebayo Shittu spoke on the ICT. Minister of Trade and Investment Okechukwu Enelamah made presentation on the Smart Digital Economy project.
Some of the participants during the interactive session noted that the government was spending so much money to travel abroad looking for foreign investment but doing nothing to revive and protect the country’s dying industries.
Others pleaded to the government to provide enabling environment for businesses to thrive.

May 9, 2017