“While transparency reduces corruption, good governance goes beyond transparency in achieving openness. Openness means involving the stakeholders in the decision-making process. Transparency is the right to information while openness is the right to participation.”
–Narendra Modi
Daniel Kanu
In the last couple of days, the Vice President, Prof Yemi Osinbajo, has been under intense pressure as a result of uncertain developments around him.
Long before his current travails, he had been the ‘star boy’ of the Muhammadu Buhari administration.
Insinuations of the ruptured relationship between Osinbajo and his boss, President Buhari played up early last week, when Buhari announced a crack team of economists, led by Prof Doyin Salami, as members of his Economic Advisory Council (EAC). It was a team that replaced the Economic Management Team (EMT) headed by the vice president.
The new team, which reports directly to the president, is to advise on economic policy matters, including fiscal analysis, economic growth and a range of internal and global economic issues, working with the relevant cabinet members and heads of monetary and fiscal agencies.
As currently constituted, Osinbajo and the ministers of Finance, Budget, and National Planning, and Trade and Industry are not included in the new economic team. This is a departure from the practice since Nigeria returned to civil rule, where the nation’s economic team has always been chaired by the vice president.
Commentators say that even when former World Bank Vice President, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, was the Coordinating Minister of the Economy under President Goodluck Jonathan government, the economic management team she was part of was still headed by former Vice President Namadi Sambo.
The prime sentiment, arguably, is that with Osinbajo stripped of this responsibility, he may have been rendered a mere figurehead, who would lack the required influence and respect in future political calculations, particularly in the post-Buhari era.
While Buhari’s action has drawn plaudit across the country, even from some of his virulent critics, who described the move as one capable of re-directing the economic tone of the country for better results, some who claim to see beyond the ordinary eyes say it’s a smokescreen for 2023 political stratagem.
Former CBN governor and Emir of Kano, Emir Muhammadu Sanusi II, commended the president, acknowledging the action as “the single most important move made by the president in his second term with great potential for turning the economy around.
The revered Emir is of the view that “the team he has assembled is first class by all standards and each and every one of them is held in high regard by all our professional colleagues.”
Very persuasive former Minister of Aviation, Femi Fani-Kayode, differs, as he was quick to condemn the replacement of Osinbajo, arguing that by such action, Buhari has downgraded and treated the VP with contempt.
Fani-Kayode said: “Despite his constant fawning on Buhari, his cowardly and quisling disposition and his penchant to defend the indefensible, Osinbajo seems to have been relegated and treated with disdain and contempt by the object of his praise and the recipient of his worship. First, he is thrown off the economic team, then some parastatals are removed from his supervision and finally, he is told that he must get presidential approval for any expenses he seeks to incur.”
Of course, looking at the intimidating superior credentials those members of the team parade one may not have any second thought of any underground political scheming, but some think so because in politics as they say “little things matter”.
Expectedly, many reasons have been adduced by the turn of events. Some allege proxy war for 2023 politics. Others claim abuse of office by the vice president.
Osinbajo has recently been accused of mismanaging N90 billion, being funds allegedly provided by the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) for the prosecution of the general elections.
There is also the issue of his involvement in financial transactions of the National Social Investment Programmes (NSIPs). But the National Social Investment Office (NSIO) through its spokesperson, Justice Bibiye, has debunked the report, saying that he has never been involved in any of such financial transactions.
A high profile power player within Abuja confided in Sunday Sun that all that is playing out is part of the game-plan ahead of the next political dispensation in 2023.
It was gathered that with the South already anticipating a return of power to the region come 2023, and with news making the rounds that APC National Leader, Bola Tinubu, is gearing up to throw his hat in the ring, a group of power brokers in the presidency is said to have plans afoot to effectively checkmate Tinubu’s alleged 2023 presidential ambition or any of his allies for that matter. Part of the plot to stop Tinubu’s 2023 presidential ambition, a national daily (not The Sun) claimed, is to also ensure that Vice President Osinbajo is not spared, as he is believed to be Tinubu’s ‘eyes’ and ‘ears’ in Aso Rock.
But to heighten the tension, Buhari has not made any comments on the disturbing situation neither have his spokespersons done anything to clear the air.
In the confusion are speculations of all sorts of stories flying around on the possibilities of Osinbajo being asked to resign from office in the days ahead.
Osinbajo seems to have been pissed off with all the seeming ugly developments around him, the reason he has even opted to drop his immunity to clear himself of the N90 billion FIRS fund tag on his neck.
Already, leaders of the Yoruba nation are raising hell over any attempt to rubbish their illustrious son by anybody or institution while at the same time advising the vice president to defend his name.
Only time will tell whether the latest appointment of economic stalwarts by the president was buoyed by altruism or it is yet another salvo in a political orchestra playing out.
Osinbajo, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), GCON was born into the family of Opeoluwa Osinbajo on March 8, 1957.
He was educated at Corona Primary School, in Lagos. Between 1969 -1975, attended Igbobi College Yaba, Lagos, Nigeria, where he was the winner of the State Merit Award (1971); the School Prize for English Oratory (1972); Adeoba Prize for English Oratory (1972-1975); Elias Prize for Best Performance in History (WASC, 1973); School Prize for Literature (HSC, 1975); and African Statesman Intercollegiate Best Speaker’s Prize (1974).
He studied for his undergraduate degree at the University of Lagos and obtained a Second Class Upper Degree in Law, winning the Graham-Douglas Prize for Commercial Law.
From 1997 to 1999, he was made Professor of Law and Head of Department of Public Law, University of Lagos and from 1999 to 2007 was Member of Cabinet, Lagos State Ministry of Justice, also Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice.
He has been in office since May 29, 2015 and took the oath of office for his second tenure on May 29, 2019, at the Eagle Square, Abuja.