Tagging Osinbajo as coordinator is insulting, dangerous –Fani-Kayode

Former Aviation Minister, Femi Fani-Kayode, has described as insulting and dangerous, President Muhammadu Buhari’s reference to Vice President Yemi Osinbajo in his letter to the Senate as a coordinator and not acting president.

President Buhari was said to have in his letter to the Senate upon his follow-up medical trip to London, said that Osinbajo would “coordinate” the governance of the country during his absence.

But Fani-Kayode, in a statement released on his twitter handle on Tuesday, argued that it was wrong for the president not to refer to Osinbajo as acting president and said it’s high time Nigerians decided if it has a nation of equals or break up.

He said, “The attempt by the ‘corpsocrats’ to prevent the VP from being Acting President by referring to him as a ‘co-ordinator’ is insulting and dangerous.

“It is time for us to decide, do we have a nation of equals or not? If not let us break it! When you tell us that the VP cannot be acting president, even though the president is critically sick and on indefinite medical leave, you are playing with fire. There are no more slaves in Nigeria.”

Read also: ILL HEALTH: Senators disagree over Buhari’s letter

The description of Osinbajo as a coordinator and not acting president, had earlier in day raised dust at the Senate plenary when the senator representing Abia-North at the National Assembly, Mao Ohuabunwa, said the transfer of power from Buhari to Vice President Osinbajo is unclear.

President of the Senate, Bukola Saraki had read the letter from President Buhari informing the legislature of his medical vacation in the United Kingdom.

However, Ohuabunwa pointed out that not naming Osinbajo as acting president was an error. He contended that the letter should be disregarded as it was not clear on the transfer of power from Buhari to Osinbajo.

Meanwhile, Saraki who presided over the plenary, ruled Ohuabunwa out of order as he said, “I think it is a very clear issue and what we should be guided by is the Constitution, and I think that it is clear. The letter has referred to the Constitution (Section 145) and there is no ambiguity in the Constitution.”

RipplesNigeria ….without borders, without fears

Click here to download the Ripples Nigeria App for latest updates

Join the conversation

Opinions

Support Ripples Nigeria, hold up solutions journalism

Balanced, fearless journalism driven by data comes at huge financial costs.

As a media platform, we hold leadership accountable and will not trade the right to press freedom and free speech for a piece of cake.

If you like what we do, and are ready to uphold solutions journalism, kindly donate to the Ripples Nigeria cause.

Your support would help to ensure that citizens and institutions continue to have free access to credible and reliable information for societal development.

Donate Now