BEVERLY HILLS, February 27, (THEWILL) – The Special Adviser to the President on Political Matters, Babafemi Ojudu, has declared that mischief makers are the ones claiming that the Acting President, Yemi Osinbajo, has been performing better than President Muhammadu Buhari since the President started his extended medical vacation.
In an interview with State House correspondents on Monday, Ojudu revealed that Osinbajo still consults with Buhari on major national issues on a regular basis insisting that all the achievements recorded under the Acting President are as a result of the foundations laid by the President.
While describing those behind the argument as thoughtless, Ojudu recalled that the President and Osinbajo enjoy a joint ticket and they were both elected based on the manifesto of the party which they have been implementing since their inauguration.
“There is nothing that has been done since the vice-president started acting that did not start under the president,” he said.
“I think it is thoughtless. I also see it as a ploy by the opposition to cause an unnecessary division.
“It is a joint ticket, the president and the vice-president were elected based on the manifesto of the party and since they were sworn in, they have been committed to implementing that manifesto.
“The same people who said we never had economic team, no policy, nothing are the ones saying this. It is now that the policies we are implementing are maturing and they are seeing the result… It’s not a question of one person being better than the other person.
“I will give you an example, there is nothing that has been done since the vice-president started acting that is not something that started far back in the past. A good example is the Niger Delta initiative.
“The president called the vice-president and said I am giving you the mandate, go into the Niger Delta meet with everyone who is a stakeholder, all the communities, talk to the militants and make sure you solve this problem for the benefits of Nigerians.
“We are losing 1.2 million barrels of oil per day, all the gas pipelines powering the turbines are being blown up. And the President has said unless and until we resolve this problem we will not get out of recession. The VP took up the mandate and went to the Niger Delta, it is the initiative of Mr. President not that of the Vice-President.
Asked if Osinbajo had been consulting Buhari, he said: “Almost on a daily basis. Well, there are areas he still needs to consult the president, I mean is not a regular thing but major decisions he still has to consult Mr. President. The president is still the president.
“He is more experienced, he has been in the game longer than the vice-president and if there are major issues that he needs to take decision on, he could call on him and say, ‘sir, what do you think about this we are about to take decision on it, do you have opinion?’ That does not mean he is not in charge.
“I’m telling you that I have seen some things sent out intentionally to cause some kind of division within the presidency.
“Some people who have been condemning everybody in the past, I see them on Twitter and on Facebook and generally on social media. Some people are trying to promote division and we are not going to allow that. This president and vice-president worked together in tandem and I know they both have confidence in this nation.
“These are mischief makers, those who do not wish this country well, who are always promoting crisis, who will not allow the people to benefit from this democracy. They are the ones promoting this kind of divisive tendencies.”
THEWILL recalls that President Buhari who is currently on medical vacation in London transferred power to his deputy before leaving on January 19.
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