WITH Adetunji Ayobrown
The truth is either boring or bitter or even not palatable, but it
must be said. Remember your mission, everything else is secondary.
This is the simple message I have for the Vice President, Yemi
Osinbajo and which was given me by the spirit of God. I asked myself
if he will believe me. This actually was the reaction from me and I
wondered if I, the conveyor of the message would doubt, how would many
others react? When I foretold the vision initially I didn’t believe it
myself but when the message was taken off me, I realised that if I
could believe in the message, he (Osinbajo) too will or should.
Spirituality is a kind of science we do not understand yet. Even, when
they are warned, many will still make wrong decisions. When I foretell
these, it seems like joke but here we are today. But why is this so
and coming from someone like me? Really, I warned of this imminent
danger.
With utmost care, religious men can involve themselves in politics. If
religious men are not in politics then who should be there? What a
funny question one may want to say. Should a good Christian be
involved in politics? My answer is yes, but how to avoid politics with
bitterness will require a big recommendation of studies for the like
of Osinbajo.
Sometimes the tiniest light shines brightest, many occasions I had
listened to the Vice President, a man of intellectual depth, who
speaks eloquently about the administration’s economic policies and
other issues. But when the Salami, Soludo panel was constituted to
replace Osinbajo economic team, I said more are yet to come and that
the VP should watch out. Now the story is ‘Disquiet in Presidency over
Vice President Osinbajo’, and …I’ve always complied with the law,
said the VP. I wished he had listened; perhaps better action would
have been taken.
A nation of emotional people cannot progress like a nation of rational
people. Continually struggling to hide the fact that we have permitted
ourselves to be subject of loved; even in denial, we still persist.
Though, presidency only officially confirmed the sacking of his aide,
an exercise which they claimed was not targeted at Osinbajo and
perceived to be as a result of a rift between him and Buhari.
Man is not a product of fate but a product of choice. So also choice
is a destiny, as God doesn’t identify a problem without advancing
solution. God made man sufficient enough to stand-up adversities and
yet free to fall, if he does choose.
As no man can walk out on his own story, don’t resign, Yoruba elders
advised Osinbajo not to waiver for even Christ too was persecuted for
no reason. But how should religious leaders react in such situations.
In history, we all remember what happened between Olusegun Obasanjo
and Atiku Abubakar during their two-term tenure. Osinbajo’s reaction
is what many are watching and waiting for, but caution is the word,
Nigerians are advising you to be of good faith.
A reasonable man may act like a madman, but not like an
idiot…Nigeria democratic style shows its tragic-comedy episode, when
juxtaposed alongside others in the comity of nations. Truly, pastors
may not do well in Nigeria’s type of politics, and this is an opinion
that has the voice of many Nigerians. The fear of failure in the mind
of a performer is evidence of failure for an onlooker. Afenifere’s
line of thought is to thread with caution. The Yoruba Council of
Elders has advised VP Osinbajo against resigning his position because
of the alleged war against him by a cabal in the Presidency. The
Yoruba elders also advised President Muhammadu Buhari to remember
Osinbajo’s loyalty to him and refuse to be used by some power against
his Vice.
Be the hero, because it is the deed that makes a man. That you came
this long for something that does not matter to you, is rather
unbelievable to me just as it is to many other Nigerians.
Poster boy of the administration, the biggest weapon in the arsenal as
once described by someone, Buhari too confessed to this. His deputy
activities through house-to-house campaign and market activations
boosted APC and its candidates’ population during the last general
elections.
What if you can take it back, what if Osinbajo can reverse the hands
of time? This was the very first set of questions that struck my mind
on hearing the news. Former president Goodluck Jonathan’s ex-aide
mockingly said the VP has audio power while Abba Kyari is De facto
President. As if that was not enough, APC leader, Ahmed Tinubu stated
that Abba Kyari taking bill to Buhari in London to sign…sounds
somehow to many Nigerians because of the Osinbajo’s-Tinubu’s long
relationships, known secret. How should a religious person react in
such situations?
It is very obvious that some persons are vehemently working against
the VP because of the 2023 presidential ambition of some of Osinbajo’s
persecutors is one of the reasons suspected for the actions. This is
an open secret to many Nigerians.
The citizens can decipher these bold enough signs that some people are
working against Osinbajo but who these people are we can’t say we do
not know. While he is under the burden of this heavy cross, as it
appears Mr President is putting-up ‘I don’t care’ attitude but Buhari
should remember his Vice is considered loyal to a fault to him since
the past four years, especially when he was out of the country for
three months and refused to allow unguarded ambition to push him.
As stated by Emir of Daura, Alhaji Umar Faruk Umar’s effusive praises
of Osinbajo many believed orchestrated the feud. Though Buhari and
Osinbajo give the impression that all is well, but subtle move to
check VP influences over his presidential ambition. A little more
boldness on your part would put you both at your ease.
The last time Osinbajo was confirmed as the acting president, the
former Lagos State attorney general kicked out Buhari’s ally in the
Department of State Services, for impropriety. The spokesman for the
Pan-Yoruba group, Afenifere, Yinka Odumakin said that President Buhari
stopped informing the National Assembly about his being out of the
country so as not to make Vice President Yemi Osinbajo the acting
president to avoid a recurrence. Do we even have a functional and
active assembly, many kept asking.
There is disquiet in the Presidency over the amiable VP Osinbajo
issues; truly ‘the witch cried last night …’ and now the deed had
been done. Deepening the fears was the alleged memo from President
Muhammadu Buhari directing the Vice President to henceforth seek
presidential approvals in the running of agencies under his
supervision; these many thought would be all. You can’t predict the
future however; you can plan towards it as these are preventable.
Buhari and the cabals are never a problem but they are the solution.
Imagine this happening in a democracy. There have been series of
assaults on the VP’s office long before now, since after Osinbajo
sacked Lawal Daura, there has never been any transmission to the
National Assembly whenever the president is travelling out of the
country, many sources noted. Daura was the director general of the
DSS, when his appointment was terminated by then acting President Yemi
Osinbajo. He was appointed following Ita Ekpeyong’s dismissal in 2015
by President Muhammadu Buhari. Outside that Nigerians have seen that
most of the functions given to his office have been taken over.
President in the perception of the Nigerian public, VP must have been
used and dumped after the elections. The constitution says that when
the president is going out of the country, he shall write to the
national assembly, transmit his power to the Vice and when he comes
back, he will send another letter… that has not been done in this
case. What is now seen is the chief of staff (Abba Kyari), taking
bills to London for the president to sign. Kyari’s had travelled to
London to submit a bill for the president’s assent and this made many
wondered what the role of the vice is in a democracy. While on
holiday, Buhari did not handover to his vice; sir this is not a good
sign in a democracy. Whatever the issue is, the President should say
it out, let God and Nigerians be the judge. That Buhari stopped
handing over to Osinbajo since VP sacked DSS DG Lawal Daura, is a
known secret. That Osinbajo kicked out Daura was among the VP’s sins.
Yes, loyalty to a fault, many see the VP, but all these are for good
purposes. Osinbajo should never resign his position…no man can walk
out on his own story.
*Ayobrown, Senior System Analyst, National Pilot Newspaper, writes via
aayobrown@gmail.com
