Osinbajo: Loyalty On Trial -By 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 can not 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 indentify 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.