Razaq Bamidele
The Southern and Middle Belt Leaders Forum (SMBLF), sought explanations over recent developments in the Presidency as regards the office of the Vice-President in the past few days.
The call for explanation was contained in a statement jointly signed by, Chief Ayo Adebanjo (South-west), Chief E. K Clark (South-South), Chief John Nwodo (South-East) and Dr. Pogu Bitrus (Middle Belt).
The virtual stripping of the office of the VP of most functions and responsibilities ,even some that are constitutional, by fiat does not correspond with the declaration of the All Progressives Congress (APC) governors that all is well at the seat of power, the Forum complained in the statement.
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The office of the Vice-President, according to its statement, is today definitely not what it was two weeks ago, observing that, “something is definitely wrong even when we cannot place our fingers on it yet.”
The Forum observed that, “this because of the opaque handling of affairs of a supposed constitutional democracy and open society in a manner reminiscent of a kingdom where things are done according to the whims and caprice s of the monarch,” adding, “We are a democracy and the people need to know the ways their lives are being run by those they have hired to do the job.”
the statement stressed that, the multi-ethnic nature of Nigeria and the geo-political balancing of its presidency will make the kind of actions that have been taken against the office of the Vice-President to attract the usual suspicion of the experiences of Ebitu Ukiwe and Oladipo Diya if there are no explanations to the public.
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“In this dispensation in particular, references would be made to the treatment of Justice Walter Onoghen, Mrs. Winifred Oyo Ita and now Professor Osinbajo on one hand and Mr Abdulrasheed Maina of Pension Reform Task Force, Prof Usman Yusuf of NHIS and Governor Abdullahi Ganduje of Kano State on the other hand .
“In order to preserve the unity of the country therefor, we demand explanation on what is happening to Osinbajo from the Presidency and if no such is forthcoming, his functions should be restored ,” the Forum demanded.
Against this backdrop, the Forum, equally noticed the unusual quiet from the Presidency on damaging allegations against the Vice-Present, saying, “in any normal clime, it should not have taken more than a day for the Presidency to dispel the allegations to maintain the moral standing of the VP and the integrity of the administration.”
The Forum therefore demands a statement from the government on the weighty allegations or an investigation to be caused as we hold our breath until the public is properly briefed.