Why Osinbajo Is Yet To Resume As Acting President

Nigeria’s vice president, Professor Yemi Osinbajo, according to reports, is yet to
resume at the presidential villa, Abuja, more than a day after being assigned the
responsibility by President Muhammadu Buhari.

The Nigerian president had on Friday, February 5, 2016, written in a three-paragraph
statement, that he was going on a five-day vacation and that his vice, Osinbajo,
would hold fort for him during his absence.
But findings made by The Punch revealed that the legal icon was not close to the
presidential villa as at the time President Buhari dropped a hint of the vacation, as he
was attending the ‘Holy Ghost Night’ programme of the Redeemed Christian Church
of God (RCCG), being a pastor with the denomination.
Osinbajo was said to have left Abuja in the early hours of Friday for Lagos but
contrary to the norm of travelling in the afternoon to attend the vigil in spite of his
status as Nigeria’s number two citizen, the Vice President left in the morning,
apparently to attend to other engagements, one of which was the 13th Centre for
Values in Leadership Annual Lecture and International Leadership Symposium in
Lagos.
And Punch says the presidential villa was understandably deserted on Friday and that
even at the Vice-President’s Wing, only a few aides who did not go with him to
Lagos were in their offices.
State house correspondents had thought Osinbajo would cut short his trip to Lagos
and had all gathered at his side of the Villa and waited, but they left later in the
evening when it became clear that the acting president would not return to the office
on Friday.
On Saturday, February 6, the situation did not improve as there was no sign of life
when the Vice-President’s wing was sighted save for a few security operatives who
were on duty and being a weekend, no senior officials, civil servants or political office
holders, were seen around the premises.
Osinbajo was still being expected in Abuja as at 4.30pm yesterday as his senior
special assistant on media and publicity, Mr Laolu Akande, confirmed on telephone
that, “Yes, he travelled to Lagos and I can confirm to you that he is being expected
back today (Saturday).”He is expected to resume fully as the acting president on
Monday, February 8, 2016.
Professor Osinbajo recently opened a can of worms as he revealed those mounting
pressure on President Buhari to put an end to his on going anti-corruption war
against some public officials.
The revelation was contained in a statement issued on Thursday, February 4 by
Osinbajo’s senior special assistant on media and publicity, Laolu Akande.
Osinbajo, who spoke at a parley with a delegation from the Moslem Congress of
Nigeria at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, revealed that some highly-placed Nigerians
have been pressuring President Buhari to calm down on his anti-corruption battle.