Buhari names Osinbajo ‘coordinator’ of nation's affairs

Buhari names Osinbajo ‘coordinator’ of nation’s affairs

May 9, 2017Hassan Adebayo

President Muhammadu Buhari with Vice President, Yemi Osinbajo

President Muhammadu Buhari says Vice President Yemi Osinbajo will “coordinate” the nation’s affairs while he is abroad for medical treatment.

A letter sent by the president to the Senate, notifying lawmakers of his trip, however raised questions Tuesday about Mr. Osinbajo’s powers after Mr. Buhari failed to address him as “acting president”.

Mr. Buhari left Nigeria Sunday night, shortly after receiving 82 Chibok girls who regained freedom after three years in Boko Haram captivity.

Since coming to power in May 2015, it is the fourth time Mr. Osinbajo would be acting on behalf of the president.

Mr. Buhari has won praises for promptly handing over power before embarking on each trip.

This time, the president said his stay in the United Kingdom would be determined by his doctors.

But his latest correspondence to the Senate, read by the Senate president, Bukola Saraki, was questioned by a Senator who argued that Mr. Osinbajo should have been designated “acting president”.

Mao Ohabunwa, a Peoples Democratic Party senator, representing Abia North, said it was not proper to name the vice president “coordinator” of the nation’s affairs.

He was however ruled out of order by Mr. Saraki, after the Senate Leader, Ahmed Lawan, defended Mr. Buhari, citing Section 145 of the 1999 Constitution.

That section says, “Whenever the President transmits to the President of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives a written declaration that he is proceeding on vacation or that he is otherwise unable to discharge the functions of his office, until he transmits to them a written declaration to the contrary such functions shall be discharged by the Vice-President as Acting President.”

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Wikileaks

Professor Osinbajo been called all sorts of names. They can even call him ‘supervisor.’ The fact however remains he is the Acting President and has always done a good job when in charge.
- Frank Bassey
  
  YES!
- jamajake
  
  On point
- oyoko
  
  that is what is expected from a phd holder; you should be able to perform at the slightest opportunity. not the former who stared the nation for 6 years, but could not perform. he was felicitating with agberos, who become billionaire overnight. because he was power drunk he push his boss to early dead. when he eventually became president, he could not perform. i hear the other days, he was praising his former boss, who he did not celebrate his remembrance for 6 years when he was heading the headship of this nation. truly, the man is very crafty!
  - Otile
    
    Right on bro, this is the most hilarious comment in recent memory. Carry on.
  - Babso
    
    Make you kill person with laugh oh!. Crafty indeed!
  - NoPeaceInOurTime
    
    I will remember this your post.
  - BroVic
    
    Chief, you’re being economical with the truth because it’s obvious you hate the man. Yes, he messed up in many ways (dont we all?) but it is very unfair of you to associate him with the death Yar’Adua of blessed memory. It is very unfortunate for you to say such a thing when we all know that he remained loyal to him even after his untimely demise. Please desist from this.
- BroVic
  
  That is correct. I hate to admit it, but it is evident that the man is a true leader unlike his principal.
Es3

Even with the section of the constitution quoted by Lawan in response, what was the intent and purpose of calling a Vice-President elected into office on joint ticket with the President ‘Coordinator”, especially when the quoted section of the constitution is expressly clear on his designation in such situations???!
- Frank Bassey
  
  That’s the incompetence we are talking about.
  - Alhaja tunsj soyemi(iya basira
    
    It goes beyond just incompetence.
    Their is an element of MISCHIEF!
    what the ‘cabal’ imply is; they don’t recognize osinbajo as acting president but a mere ‘coordinator’.
    The difference is, their will be NO GO AREAS for the VP.
    O ma se ooO!
    - Alhaja tunsj soyemi(iya basira
      
      There not ‘their’..
    - abodes_124
      
      hopefully Osinbajo will get things rolling again. the first test for him s the Magu /Senate stand off. He will need to unstick that to get the legislature working in tandem with him.
  - Es3
    
    It means you are part of that select group of Nigerians who still have that part of their brains responsible for true sense of objectivity, justice, equity and fairness not compromised by Buhari/APC propaganda, rather still intact!
wode

Much ado about nothing… President Buhari is not around in the country and Osinbajo is acting in his place till he (Buhari) returns.
- abodes_124
  
  depending of course on how he returns
  - wode
    
    He will return well and better by the special grace of God.
Suruchukwu Igbogambo

Friday, Friday presidency!!! At least we have been spared from waiting every Friday jumat service to catch a glimpse of our president..
Alhaja tunsj soyemi(iya basira

Hahahahahahaa!
I tell una say from now till 2019, na to dey LOOKU LOOKU and LAFF!
The time taken to type ‘coordinate’ could have as well have been used to type ‘ACT’!
All sane people who have worked in ‘structured organizations’ know the import of using terms incorrectly.
Sadly though, the APC SW-minions still don’t recognize the mischief and import of refusing to address the VP
Using the right terms.
The VP himself knows. The minions here do not..but cheer blindly.
When jungle mature, who no know..go know!
Ahahahahahaa!
- ed
  
  The faculties were not all present at the time of the composition of the letter. Hence the mistake.
realist

The senators have unwittingly solved likely crisis in the event that the VP would need to act fully as the President. The wording was deliberately inserted to cause confusion. The presidency was not sincere with the framing.
- Otile
  
  Don’t blame anybody, Fulani Muslims will not hand the presidency to Osibande when Imam passes on, they used Osibande to rake in Odua Christian votes. Another Abiola kind of debcle is brewing.
- Taiwo Adedipe
  
  The purpose of the letter is to invoke section 145 of our constitution and that has been done. Let focus on the wording of the relevant section of the constitution.
  - Es3
    
    Very simple to assume and attempt to divert attention!
Otile

Oluwa ma je. As Imam Mohmed becomes sicker and sicker the Fulanis begin to edge Osibande out little by little. Omo Odua should read their handwriting on the wall. Shango gbo omo yin oo.
- Ogom
  
  Who is “Osinbande”??
  - Netanyahu
    
    Our VP. That’s what imam called him one time. You know imam buhari is not well educated, all he has is just military training. He is trying sha. Like mama piss will say it, it’s not easy to carry second.
Lanre

What Buhari is telling you is that while he is in London, he is still in charge. Abba Kyari is more important than Osibajo and can brief him (Buhari) on what is happening. Once he tells Abba Kyari what to do, Kyari will relay to Osibajo. If you don’t like it, go to Biafra or Yorubaland.
- Muhammad Kabir
  
  Sounds so mischievous and full of bad intent May your bad and evil intentions begin and end up in your life.
  - daniel
    
    Lanre is quite correct: the use of the word “coordinate” was deliberate but mischievous. The coordinator is not the initiator. The primary power of the president is to initiate new programmes. Osinbanjo is being told not to initiate anything new. Meaning, he is not to act as president, but to coordinate existing projects.
- Julius
  
  There ya go…you have it all figure out !
- abodes_124
  
  I can see why little inflections matter given our penchant for interpreting things to suit our pre conceived notions
Rumournaire

“Whenever the President transmits to the President of the Senate and the
Speaker of the House of Representatives a written declaration that he
is proceeding on vacation or that he is otherwise unable to discharge
the functions of his office, until he transmits to them a written
declaration to the contrary such functions shall be discharged by the
Vice-President as Acting President.”

By this statement from the Constitution, Buhari does not need to state that Osinbajo is Acting President. All he needs to do – which he has done – is inform the Senate and House of Representatives that he will be away. The Constitution automatically? confers on the Vice-President the status of Acting President.
- Otile
  
  Get real, boy. You mean that Osibande now possess plenipotentiary powers to do as his likes the way Imam Buhari was doing. Does he also have the power to declare war and liberate some oppressed people here in Nigeria and other places in Africa?
  - Rumournaire
    
    I don’t know about getting real. I have only read what the Constitution says – that by virtue of Buhari’s letter to the National Assembly, Osinbajo is now Acting President. If you read it differently, that is up to you!
    - Otile
      
      Next time you read it bear in mind that it was crafted by a few armed khaki men and their hirelings, then you understand what I mean.
      - Rumournaire
        
        Regardless of what anyone thinks of the Constitution or its origin, it is still the overriding law in Nigeria today, Everyone in power – Buhari inclusive – derives his or her authority from it. So, if you don’t believe in the Constitution, then my post is not for you.
        
        By the way, I think it is great that the Constitution does not leave it to the President to declare who or when the Vice-President becomes Acting President. Buhari has no say in the matter. He has notified the National Assembly of his impending absence; the Constitution has determined what happens thereafter. His statement about Osinbajo “coordinating” things is null and void – the Constitution has stated what happens.
      - Otile
        
        Please do not take the constitution as the word of God. If Jonathan had not surrendered to General Buhari during the last election the General would make good of threat. That means General Buhari would marshal out tanks and bazookas and spill blood of dogs and baboons on the streets and then capture Jonathan alive, and then toss aside the constitution. In the year of the Lord 1983 General Buhari tossed the constitution aside, clamped the VP into Kirikiri prison, and escorted the President home in a limo. Yet today he is the president of Nigeria, which shows you that Imam Buhari has plenipotentiary power to do as he likes. If sickness had not slowed him down by now Imam would have invaded the Igbo people of South East unleashing the Federal troops to loot their belongings and rape their women. You know what his troops can do.
- AryLoyds
  
  VP Osinbanjo is a mere house boy! The Cabal can not let Tinubu and his goons to take power through the back door.
  As the VP is now the Coordinator , it means that he will be simply following instructions form some one.. My bet is that this ‘some one’ is the cabal.
- Netanyahu
  
  Neither did buhari need to describe osibade as a coordinator. He should have stayed with the wordings of the said constitution. We need to be careful.
  - Rumournaire
    
    I agree that Buhari did not need to say anything more than the fact that he would be away. Now that he did, we should simply disregard whatever else he said. Those who wrote that section of the Constitution knew that some leaders could try to play games as to who stands in for them. They preempted it by making it clear that upon the NASS receiving notice of the president’s absence, the Vice automatically becomes Acting.
Conscience

Premium Times is being mischievous with this headline. Yes, the president stated that the vice-president “will coordinate” the affairs of the country in his absence but the preceding paragraph clearly stated that the letter is in compliance with Section 145 (1). As reported by the Punch, the letter read thus:

“In compliance with Section 145 (1) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), I wish to inform the distinguished Senate that I will be away for a scheduled medical follow-up with my doctors in London. The length of my stay will be determined by the doctor’s advice.

While I am away, the Vice President will coordinate the activities of the government. Please accept, the distinguished Senate President, the assurances of my highest consideration.”

Section 145 (1) of the constitution stated thus:

“Whenever the President transmits to the President of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives a written declaration that he is proceeding on vacation or that he is unable to discharge the functions of his office, until he transmits to them the written declaration to the contrary, such function shall be discharged by the Vice-President as Acting President”

Since the president clearly stated that the letter is in compliance with Section 145 (1), Professor Yemi Osinbajo is the Acting President.
tsunami1earthquake

Whatever Buhari calls Osinbajo is NOT important. What IS important is what the Constitution says at the moment which is, the vice president becomes the acting president.

Those people in the presidency who write Buhari’s letters MUST stop being mischievous or playing with words.
Conscience

Premium Times is being mischievous with this headline. Yes, the president stated that the vice-president “will coordinate” the activities of the government in his absence but the preceding paragraph clearly stated that the letter is in compliance with Section 145 (1). As reported by the Punch, the letter read thus:

“In compliance with Section 145 (1) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), I wish to inform the distinguished Senate that I will be away for a scheduled medical follow-up with my doctors in London. The length of my stay will be determined by the doctor’s advice.

While I am away, the Vice President will coordinate the activities of the government. Please accept, the distinguished Senate President, the assurances of my highest consideration.”

Section 145 (1) of the constitution stated thus:

“Whenever the President transmits to the President of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives a written declaration that he is proceeding on vacation or that he is unable to discharge the functions of his office, until he transmits to them the written declaration to the contrary, such function shall be discharged by the Vice-President as Acting President”

Since the president clearly stated that the letter is in compliance with Section 145 (1), Professor Yemi Osinbajo is the Acting President.

There is nothing wrong for the president to state that the Vice president will coordinate the activities of the government in his absence. The word “coordinate” does not belittle the Vice president in any way. The primary duty of a president or acting president is to coordinate the activities of the government.
- CeeCee1818
  
  Thank you for clarifying the statement. It goes without saying that Osinbanjo IS the acting president, the title is misleading. Wishing them both well.
  - Otile
    
    Just read between the lines, these are ominous signs.
    - AFRICANER
      
      Exactly!
      The constitution makes Osinbajo the acting president, but Buhari is trying to make him just a coordinator, like the people made Shagari president, and Buhari, via Coup d’etat, made Shagari retire.
    - Julius
      
      Of course to an intellectual buffoon like you, reading between the lines is what you do the best. The Constitution is not between the lines.
      - emmanuel
        
        When a mad man call a sane person mad, then his case has gone beyond rescue. Julius (Mohammed, you are cursed with your herdsman traits
      - Julius
        
        Otile, this is why I called you the dumbest wet back from the creek. I posted a comment to you under otile and you responded under Emmanuel. You were once surprised how folks knew all your fake monikers … you are calling yourself an “intellectual” ? Moron, see yaself so ? Damn, you are cursed !
  - Julius
    
    Indeed…to the point.
MercilessMessi

This should raise a red flag in the minds of the discerning.
What the SW e-slaves defending their gOD should ask themselves is; WHERE WAS THE CONSTITUTION WHEN SOME PEOPLE OVERTHREW A DEMOCRATICALLY ELECTED GOVERNMENT IN 1983????
Smh!
O ye APC yorubas, who has bewitched you?????
Toughie Man

Drafting memos is one of the Herculean tasks of official writers. Either you are accused of plagiarism, being unprofessional, lacking focus or incompetents. The weight of a president’s missive rests with the scribe. He is either a yarn spinner, scribbler or just tattler finding his ropes. Being a good newspaper reporter or writer does not qualifies you to communicate effectively, except you are adequately trained to write for executives. You must not be a lazy reader, must be intuitive, creative and should be able to read the mood of your audience(in this case nigerians) and in this case Buhari’s writers who have used the word ‘coordinate’ ordinarily, one would have read and digest the contents as oversee activities in the president’s absence. Look at the bigger picture of the president health and the state of the nation, but some people have chosen to play with words generating controversy. Acting or Coordinating does anything really matters? As one man has succinctly put it “Leave wetin de write 4 motor body enter motor”. Let’s rest this matter and move forward.
- Khalil
  
  Drafting memos by professionals is a ‘Herculean task’????
  Are you ok??
  Nigeria is finished!
  - Toughie Man
    
    That is your big problem, you come dancing naked in the public in broad daylight. Do your research well. Technically we draft memos and anybody hired to write for a CEO is considered qualified until otherwise proven not fit. Yes, it is Herculean in the context as I out you could be accused of…and subject to interpretations which you did not intend to expose your boss to. Read PM headline well and the various permutations from readers.
    - Khalil
      
      You really mean drafting memos by professionals is a ‘Herculean task’????
      LOL!!!
      NIGERIA IS DOOMED WITH THOUGHTS LIKE YOURS!
      you presume experienced professionals who draft memos for the PRESIDENT OF NIGERIA made a slip in using the word ‘coordinate’??
      Listen man, give this Memo to a level 8 officer in the civil service and he/she will know there are certain words you DONT play with.
      ‘Herculean task’ my A*s!
Muhammad Kabir

What does it mean to coordinate? Simply means you organize the various people and things involved in it (country or activity). Simple, what the hell of all the haranguing.
- Nkem
  
  But Nigeria’s president is not an “organiser”. He is the Commander in Chief. People should be careful with the kind of signals they send to those who would be required by law to take instructions from the VP while the president is away.
- emmanuel
  
  Can cordinate – a Manager: Minister, but cannot Preside.
  In the field of management, both are not the same. Only ignorant folks think they are both same. A little more scholarship for you
Opekete

Buhari is the coordinator in chief of the federation and in his absence Osinbajo becomes the coordinator. It is just semantics of memo writers who probably from the benefit of hindsight will now realize that he has chosen a wrong word to convey his principal’s instruction. However semantics or not the constitution is supreme as all the president needs to do is to inform the senate that he is indisposed. He does not need to delegate the VP as the acting president the constitution has already done that.
- Julius
  
  Thank you !
- Nkem
  
  Then, honestly, I suppose that Buhari should simply have said that he is indisposed rather than try to define what the VP’s will do in his absence. And, honestly again, I do not agree that it is “just semantics”. The president is the COMMANDER IN CHIEF. He COMMANDS. His job is to DIRECT, to give INSTRUCTIONS. These are not the functions of a “COORDINATOR”.
- Ewens Lawson
  
  You are the only reasonable human being among those of us who are here turning elementary logic on its head. Stay blessed.
- Otile
  
  Have you heard the word, Chief of Staff before? That is what coordinator in chief is. Buhari has never been a coordinator, don’t use Al-Taqiyya to twist every corruption Buhari practices. If Nigeria was not this corrupt, in the absence of Buhari Osinbajo should act, take right decisions and give command. Saying that name does not matter again is dumb and corrupt. If someone deliberately calls you less than what your title is, do you take it as a complement, or if a Kanuri man deliberately calls a Yoruba commentator oduafrudian will the commentator embrace and thank him?
- Gwazy
  
  you said it all…
GEJ FOREVER

I HOPE BISI AKANDE & BOLA TINUBU GET THE MESSAGE !!!

Nigeria cannot be handed over to two notorious criminals (Bola Tinubu & Bisi Akande) via a VP Osinbajo Presidency.

VP Osinbajo is a stooge and indeed a threat to National Security, Peace and Stability because of his association with notorious criminals mentioned above.

If Buhari is unable to continue …. then Bukola Saraki must immediately step in as President as specified in the Constitution which clearly indicates that the need for National Security, Peace and Stability overrides all other provisions in the Constitution including the provision of the VP taking over from the President if the President is incapacitated.

Bukola Saraki is the man …. all we need from Bukola Saraki is that he keeps a distance from Rotimi Amaechi (a scoundrel), Raji Fashola (a veteran Ibo hater) and Nasir El-Rufai (evil in its purest form)
- Julius
  
  hummmm and still no biafraudian in seight !. You need to do some thinking which I know its too hard for you to do. Just try !!
- Muhammad Kabir
  
  Confused and illogical
- Ogom
  
  Garbage
- Toye Falusi
  
  Confucius of the first order!!!!!
Julius

What in the name , as long as the country’s affairs are being look after and the work keeps going on . It shouldn’t matter.
- Jon
  
  Man, it matters. What does the Nation’s constitution says regarding a scenario like this? If it does not matter, why not do the right thing.
  - Julius
    
    What do you think will change ? He did what the constitution required him to do . God forbid the president die in office, what do you think will happen to his VP ? Remember we went thru that before and the patriots like Obj stood by the constitution. I’ll hope same thing will happen again if it comes to that.
  - Rote
    
    We are a nation of laws, whatever the language of Mr. President the provisions of the constitution as quoted by the Senate Leader Lawan takes precedence and supersedes whatever ulterior misinterpretation! To interpret it otherwise is invitation to anarchy.
- Nkem
  
  What worries me is the kind of signal that it sends to the president’s appointees/ loyalists. Don’t give them the impression that the VP does not have the capacity to take major decisions and make serious changes. It simply undermines the Acting President’s capacity to COMMAND, to issue directives and have them implemented. If he is to just “coordinate”, then why should he change things, especially when such changes do not favour their vested interests.
- emmanuel
  
  Is there a constitution? why are you so backward and why can you not think beyond your demonic sentiments? Is this not twentifirst century, should things be done like 15th century?
  The USA should please put up scheme to re-colonise us. Trump where are you? We have so many Julius’, the cattle rearer
- Netanyahu
  
  I hate your never improving English. Get lost. Going forward, you must write in your native language for your yoruba audience.
Lt. Col. W. Mariam

Why all the fuss? PMB did name an acting president who also appears in the picture above. Who did he appoint to speak to the releases Chibok girls? His COS!!!!! When Yar’Adua flew off to Saudi Arabia for medicals, he named the SFG(Ahmed Yayale) as his acting president. This is the Republic of N. Nigeria we are talking about here.
Nkem

While it makes sense to disregard the reference in the president’s memo in the context of the supremacy of the constitution, I think we should not lose sight of the potential implication of the text, to the ability of the VP to exercise CONTROL over the president’s appointees in the president’s absence. We all know the kind of power play that would have led to the decision for some people to hurriedly rush the president back from London even when it was clear he lacked the capacity to function in office. We therefore understand that it was difficult for them to make the decision to let him give up power again. It is in this context that we should take this issue more seriously.
The President / Acting President is the COMMANDER IN CHIEF. He COMMANDS! His job is to DIRECT, to give INSTRUCTIONS. These are not the functions of a “COORDINATOR”. It is like saying “everything is already in place; all you need to do is coordinate”. But we know that all is not well with the country, and the VP may need to tinker with much of the status quo, which the president may have been unable to do in view of his incapacity.
I repeat that the president should guide against sending any signal, wittingly or unwittingly, to his ‘loyalists’ that the acting president’s authority is in any way different from the authority which the president himself exercises. He doesn’t need to define what the VP would be doing in his absence. The Acting President is simply the COMMANDER in CHIEF, period!
lampuda

The northern leaders think by advising Buhari to call Osibanjo ‘coordinator’, Osibanjo won’t be president if Buhari dies. But what matters is what the constitution says. However, what Buhair will achieve by making Osi coordinator is it will prevent him from making significant decisions until Buhari returns, dead or alive.
Tommy Soto

‘Much Ado About Nothing’

Devote some print to the present late 2017 budget, and a rapid resolution of getting it passed!
Wale Bolodeoku

Call him the Nigerian Village Headmaster. Call him the Nigerian General Coordinator. Nonsense. Is there such a title known to the Nigerian Constitution? If the title is alien to the constitution it has no meaning and should be disregarded.
Comfortkay

What is coming out of Nigeria these day is ver disgusting. What did the constitution said? Haba it is high time to change this ex-Military and recycle politician.
- emmanuel
  
  Hey, maek God nor punish you for wetin you just talk. Was there a constitution when Buhari refused to appoint aides or ministers in his first six months and you opened your can of warms to say he should be left alone to do what is good? Is this not another what is good?
  When he appointed only foolanis to all offices, you open your septic tank mouth to say he knows those who can deliver no matter where they come from?
  I beg Buhari well done. Fake Pastor should give us report of Ikoyi APC stolen heist. Since Buhari is not around, he can send it to the Acting President – Kyari: nonsense.
  Wetin Yoruba dey look for na im una don dey see.
  President foolani, Senate President Foolani, Speaketr foolani, Acting President foolani, Acting Vice President foolani, Attorney General foolani. Cordinator of nations affairs (Minister of special duties – Osinbade, Yoruba and Deputy Speaker Yoruba (Lasun who is not worth a Commissioner in Nigeria whilst as Deputy Speaker)
  Is this a better deal than what Jonathan gave you? shame!
JOHN

What is playing out presently is that Buhari and his northern cabal have no regard for our constitution and that is unfortunately gross misconduct which is an impeachable offence. We demand that Buhari and his northern cabal issue an apology to Nigerians for this demonstrated alterior motive which is not in the interest of the development of Nigeria.
- SamPsalm
  
  Not true. What is playing out in Nigeria is unprecedented in its positivity. For once we have a nation who has very good relations with his Vice President. And a President who, at least, always does the Constitutional basic of transmitting letters to the National Assembly each time he travels.
  
  It takes mischief and ignorance of the law combined to read the letter the way Senator Mao Ohuabunwa (meaning slave is not a child) did. All the Constitution asked of Buhari is a letter of admission that he is unfit and would be proceeding on leave of any nature. Once that is done, the VP becomes Acting President.
  
  To specifically go all the way to designate his VP as the Coordinator of national affair is again unprecedented – it is a statement to leave no one in doubt as to who was in charge. He has also tweeted since that the nation is in good hands.
  
  If we keep nitpicking evil out of the few good things we have, how are we ever going to have the critical mass to build up a sizable stock of it?
Dazmillion

No one should blame Buhari for naming the Vice president a mere coordinator, the man doesnt have a WAEC certificate, what did you expect
- emmanuel
  
  Shhhhhhhh, May God judge you for saying Buhari does not have certificate. Buhari is the best president of the twenti-first century.
  But the trouble wen Nigeria dey look for go soon fall upon the country
SamPsalm

What is playing out in Nigeria is unprecedented in its positivity.

For once we have a who has President very good relations with his Vice President. And a Vice President who honours his President – and has no overt ambition beyond proving himsefl faithful in the stewardship of his immediate offices and those thrust on him by virtue of the President’s illness.

We also have a President who, at least, always does the Constitutional basic of transmitting letters to the National Assembly each time he travels.

It takes mischief and ignorance of the law combined – or worse a mind warped by over-exposure to the wrong version of what is happening – to read the letter the way Senator Mao Ohuabunwa (whose name mean “slave can never be esteemed as a child or full human being”) did.

All the Constitution asked of Buhari is a letter of admission that he is unfit and would be proceeding on leave of any nature. Once that is done, the VP becomes Acting President. That he has done for umpteenth time.

To specifically go all the way to designate his VP as the Coordinator of national affair is again unprecedented – it is a statement to leave no one in doubt as to who was in charge. He has also tweeted since that the nation is in good hands.

If we keep nitpicking evil out of the few good things we have, how are we ever going to have the critical mass to build up a sizable stock of it?
- Remi
  
  Sampsalm
  
  Kindly permit me to disagree with you on five grounds.
  
  Firstly, on the past three occasions that President Buhari has
  had to transmit power to his Vice President, through a letter to the National
  Assembly (NA), he had presumably been very clear about what the Vice President’s
  designation would be in his absence (“Acting President”). That was probably why,
  on those three other occasions, it was never reported that anyone raised any
  objections about any part of his letter. So, why not state that in precise
  terms all over again, this time around, such that everyone is clear about where
  they belong?
  
  Secondly, as an administrator, Buhari knows all too well
  that in administrative and legal matters, precision is of the essence. By being
  imprecise and hazy in his letter to the NA, Buhari has left room for all manner
  of interpretations, one of which is the one upon which your comment derives,
  and which anyone with an ulterior motive is not duty bound to agree with. This
  is more so, when it is widely believed that there is currently a cabal running
  things in the President’s name in Aso Rock – the Senate president, Alhaji Tanko
  Yakassai (member of the northern elders forum), Buhari’s wife, the Arewa
  Consultative Forum, have all, among many others alluded to, and insisted on, this
  fact.
  
  Thirdly, this strange designation – which by the way is unknown
  to the constitution – leaves the Vice President in a bind. Does he accept the
  President’s designation of “coordinator of national affairs” or the
  constitutional designation of “Acting President”? If he accepts the former
  designation, then what does it mean? If he accepts the latter, then how will
  the President feel about him when he gets back? Will he still see him as that
  loyal Vice President or an ambitious Vice President, seeking to upstage him?
  
  Fourthly, you said that the President had twitted that the
  nation was in “good hands”. Fine, but given the confusion and ambiguity that
  his letter had sown, this begs the question: whose, and what, hands? We know
  what the office, duties, functions and powers of an “Acting President” are;
  but, what about that of the “Coordinator of National Affairs”?
  
  Fifthly, if all that the constitution requires is for the President
  to inform the NA that he is either going on vacation or unable to discharge the
  functions of his office, then why not just leave things at that in his letter
  to the NA? Why go to the extra length of conferring on the Vice President a
  non-existent, extra-constitutional and controversial post?
  
  Finally, I am as against “neat picking”, as much as I am
  against naivety; and, in the light of the daring power play and shenanigans around
  ailing Presidents, the likes of which we saw play out in the Yar’adua case, I think,
  and I am sorry to say, that your comment is simply naïve.
Arabakpura

The constitutional provision has taken care of that! Anytime one argues for argument sake, one diminishes oneself!
Salisu Dan-Gombe

YEMI OSINBAJO DOWNGRADE & MATTERS ARISING ……. VICE PRESIDENT YEMI OSINBAJO SHOULD RESIGN IMMEDIATELY

A friend called me from Lagos State this afternoon and told me that the Vice President Yemi Osinbajo has been downgraded to Minister level by President Muhammadu Buhari.

He compared Yemi Osinbajo to Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala who functioned under President Gooduck Jonathan as the
Coordinating Minister and concluded that Yemi Osinbajo has been downgraded.

I told him that his understanding of what has happened is different from mine.

I also told him that what is happening to Yemi Osinbajo has to do with the struggle of the North to resist and survive another round of injustice after the Yar’Adua episode.

The Presidency belongs to the North until 2023 and nobody is disputing that.

Why then should a Yemi Osinbajo usurp what is due to the North simply because of so called Constitutional Provisions which are clearly debatable and subject to various interpretations.

My sincere advise is that Nigeria should pursue the path of peace and fairness to all its components including the North which has the largest population.

Vice President Yemi Osinbajo should resign immediately to pave way for a Northerner to takeover from President Buhari.

This is the only option that will guaranty peace and stability in Nigeria. The North earnestly wants peace but does not want to continue suffering injustice in the hands of Southerners.

Yar’Adua is a lesson the North will never forget … a mistake the North will never make twice
- emmanuel
  
  I thought you said Buhari can appoint anybody from any where as along as the person delivers and that is why he has set aside the constitution, while you all celebrated him.
  So why are you talking about rotation?
  Quota system fully captured in the constitution has been set aside by Buhari which you supported, but rotational presidency which was the working of PDP is what you are drawing on. These are part of the reasons Northern Nigeria will never make any developmental strides except growing poverty before Nigeria will separate someday.
  - Gary
    
    They are fair weather democrats. They only follow the Constitution when it suits them and ignore it for Sharia when it does not.
    Yet they want us to remain one country to rock oil money.
emmanuel

This is the time to impeach Buhari, because he now has an Acting President and Acting Vice President in the persons of Abba Kyari and Mamman Daura, while Osinbajo has been officially removed as Vice President by the two inglorious Buhari’s operatives. Recall i told Nigerians the morning Buhari arrived from the UK that the two men would take over power from that day and today, Buhari has officially handed over to them – Shame
Bukola Saraki has played out his Foolani identity since June 5, 2015.
Let those who call themselves the most sophisticated show the stuff they are made of or their cowardice.
- Muhammad Kabir
  
  Ignorant is a disease that hurt. Your analysis of issues lack coherence and logic. Kind of suffering from intellectual poverty. Permit me to invite you to free classes on constitutional matters. Jug head
  - emmanuel
    
    Agreed, but you can never come close in intelligence. What is the difference between a Jud head and a nama? Incoherence? from my post or from your dead brain?
    - Otile
      
      From his horrible English you can guess who’s commenting. He has been trying hard to draw my attention but I don’t give him a hoot any more, then he spawned a new moniker for himself so that I would respond to his trash. He got only 29 comments which shows that he just started the fake moniker deceit recently. He is fat and happy praising himself that he learned 2 new phrases “intellectual buffoonery, intellectual poverty”. Just ignore him, eventually he will come to realize that silence is the best answer to a_fool.
Jacobus James

Are we no longer following the Constitution? “Coordinator” is unknown to our law. PMB is indeed gone senile. Does he think he can change the Constitution with a stroke of the pen? What impudence! What arrogance!
emmanuel

Wahala, Onike, Ade, Omo Mushin, Omoeko, Soyemi, Tundemess, Arbakpura, etc the table is turning and very fast.
Meanwhile, where is the report on the APC stolen money from where Oke helped himself with some? Fake Prophet Osinbajo has gone under on that.
Cordinator of the Nations Affairs means Minister of special duties. It is a staff responsibility which is different from Acting President a Staff responsibility.
All the ignorant or hypocrites please note
- emmanuel
  
  Acting President a line responsibility*
  - tundemash
    
    Twat, you came back after 10hrs to respond to your own message seeing everyone ignored it ?
    - emmanuel
      
      You know i take responsibility for my errors and will never let them lie. Your response to my post is not my interest. Your readership is what matters. Keep exhibiting your ignorance.
      Meanwhile, i have had a deserved rest, done some work before getting back to talk and the need to correct an obvious error..
      I am not aimless!
- tundemash
  
  Mor0n, show me in the letter, where Osibajo was addressed as “Coordinator”. Buhari has done what the constitution required him to do and the constitution is clear on what happens whenever teh President is on vacation. But as usual, sore loers like you are being hysterical looking for any straw at all to cling to.
  - emmanuel
    
    I have smoked the cockroach out of his shameful hidding. So you still exhibit your crass ignorance. O ma se o.
    Do you need your visionless Ifa Priest to tell you that Osinbade has been precluded from taking over in the event that the expected happens?
    Not to worry, the follani man who rides on the back of your cowardice Saraki will tell you how not to be smart in days ahead
    - tundemash
      
      Mor0n, simply copy and paste here where Osibajo was addressed as “Coordinator” instead of telling us what you conjured up i your warped mind !
      - emmanuel
        
        Please lets tackle what is on ground and stop this your timidity and cowardice. You cannot hide behind one finger for too long. un-moroned Tundemess!
      - tundemash
        
        Mor0n, this news is about “Coordinator” and your first posting was you being hysterical about the story and u calling V.P. Osibajo fake and claiming he;s Special Affairs Minister. Is there anything else in this news that is making you hysterical ? So show us in the later where Osibajo was referred to as “Coordinator” Mr. Sore Loser !
      - emmanuel
        
        Am i not trully a sore looser? Most of my investments since Buhari/Osinbade have gone into the waters and feeling the pains. what do you call that, a looser.
        Na God go punish you and your disastrous and demonic winners, that have caused me great pains,
Khafilat Adeoye

VP OSINBAJO DOWNGRADE & MATTERS ARISING ……. VICE PRESIDENT YEMI OSINBAJO SHOULD RESIGN IMMEDIATELY

A friend called me from Lagos State this afternoon and told me that the Vice President Yemi Osinbajo has been downgraded to Minister level by President Muhammadu Buhari.

He compared Yemi Osinbajo to Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala who functioned under President Gooduck Jonathan as the Coordinating Minister and concluded that Yemi Osinbajo has been downgraded.

I told him that his understanding of what has happened is different from mine.

I also told him that what is happening to Yemi Osinbajo has to do with the struggle of the North to resist and survive another round of injustice after the Yar’Adua succession episode.

The Presidency belongs to the North until 2023 and nobody is disputing that.

Why then should a Yemi Osinbajo usurp what is due to the North simply because of so called Constitutional Provisions which are clearly debatable and subject to various interpretations.

My sincere advise is that Nigeria should pursue the path of peace and fairness to all its components including the North which has the largest population.

Vice President Yemi Osinbajo should resign immediately to pave way for a Northerner to takeover from President Buhari.

This is the only option that will guaranty peace and stability in Nigeria. The North earnestly wants peace but does not want to continue suffering injustice in the hands of Southerners.

Then Vice President Goodluck Jonathan succeeding the President Yar’Adua is a lesson the North will never forget … a mistake the North will never make twice
- Remi
  
  Kafilat
  
  If you are really serious, and know what you are talking
  about, then:
  
  Where is it written that the presidency belongs
  to the north until 2023? And, by the
  way, why 2023 and not 2027, 2031 or even, for ever? Yes, taken together, the
  north may be the largest political unit; however, Buhari’s experience has shown
  that no one part of Nigeria can rule Nigeria alone under our Presidential
  system. Note that zoning is a “gentleman agreement” between party men and has
  nothing to do with the provisions of our constitution, especially in the type of
  situation in which we find ourselves now. Yes, in 2019, the APC is free to invoke her zoning formula- if all
  party men agree on that – but now, the constitution is clear on the line of
  succession.
  
  No one has any control over whether or not they
  will fall sick; neither does anyone have control over how, when and where
  they will fall sick; and that is why the
  constitution has a succession plan, in case of such eventualities. So, where is
  the “injustice” in activating the constitutionally prescribed succession plan?
  
  How does violating the constitution ensure “peace
  and stability”?
- JOHN
  
  Point of correction. The presidency does not belong to the north. The northwest is about completing two terms with Yar Adua and now Buhari. Come 2019, the SS should be fielded to work to complete their second term. It is lie and terrible cheating for any northerner to attempt to contest for the presidency in 2019. All their false claims and arguments cannot decieve Nigerians anymore. The PDP and APC should present SS to complete their second term appropriately.
Salisu Dan-Gombe

Thank you @Khafilat for re-posting my comment which your people are trying to block. They believe the North must be silenced by all means.
- emmanuel
  
  The North has benefited most from Nigeria and are on the way to also destroy it. Goodluck.
  - BULLETPROOF
    
    Yes the North has become wealthier more secure with a thriving economy full of health and bountiful splendor an envy of other regions; may whatever evil you have plotted and have been plotting against the North come back to you and all your co-conspirators. Evil Evil person
    - zygote
      
      Which North is full of splendor? The one with 90% beggars. In fact, i read in a magazine that Northern Nigerian has the highest amount of beggars in world beating afghanistan to number two. I was wondering where is Somalia, Sudan, Syria, is it that bad in the north?
    - emmanuel
      
      with over 38 years of leading a country out of 57 year of existence, you are still poor? Meanwhile, your people are known to be the greatest thieves in Nigeria and highest official beneficiaries of the collective wealth of same country. So where have you gone to with all that?
      Where are the wealth from all Oil blocks? in the nyash of so many wives, girl friends, concubines and gay friends?
      Shame on the North. Yet you are seeking same values power like precious metals hidden under the earth.
      I suspect God has cursed you north for your evils against the rest of Nigeria and that now take toll on your people who lead Nigeria by kicking the bucket from office!
emmanuel

Once upon a time, there was a man named Patrick Yakowa
Watch man

Section 145 of the constitution says: “Whenever the President transmits to the President of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives a written declaration that he is proceeding on vacation or that he is otherwise unable to discharge the functions of his office, until he transmits to them a written declaration to the contrary such functions shall be discharged by the Vice-President as Acting President”.

The point here is that PMB has transmitted a letter to SP and Speaker that he is going on medical treatment and would be unable to discharge his duties. Any other addition to the letter is irrelevant because the constitution has already made it clear that until PMB “transmits to them a written declaration to the contrary such functions shall be discharged by the Vice-President as Acting President”. So, the constitution has automatically empowered the VP to act just because of the mere fact of PMB’s inability to carry out his function as president. So, those that wrote the letter are just being mischievous by half so as to set off unnecessary controversy. VP is the constitutionally recognized Acting President right now. Period!
nixon

Fellow Nigerians, the senator is making a point here, we are aware what the president was supposed to do, but it is vital he says it in clear and unambiguous terms….simple! If he had done that, we will be talking about something else right now.

During obama’s swearing in ceremony, in his first term, the judge swearing him in made a small mistake with the words, he was asked by the White House to come in the next day to repeat it, and the pics of the occasion were distributed. You don’t want to give room to litigation, by calling him a coordinator, that leaves room for litigation. It should not be so!
OpenEye

Does the position “Coordinator” of the country exist anywhere? I guess the lawyers can help here but if Buhari is on sick leave outside the country and the coordination/ running/ driving/ steering of Nija is delegated to his Vice then shikenan, he is the President till Baba returns
Gary

If they like let them call Osinbajo Chief Housekeeper. The Constitution is clear about what happens incense the President is absent. The VP acts until he returns.
uOkwunna

Coordinator-nations-affair is less than a minister. It was made known to Nigerians by the Jonathan’s campaign team that the Yorubas are massively supporting Buhari because they knew that Buhari is not healthy enough to complete his tenure, so indirectly they were nurturing a sinister plan so the Northerners prepared themselves against eventuality. Now there is a war between the Tortoise and Leopard, let us watch weather Tortoise will shrink back into it’s shell and accept the second-fiddle role or will he be man enough to fight for what is constructional his.
Biafrans please stay on the fence and watch the battle is not ours.
marc umeh

In-your-face insult to Yoruba upstarts who are begining to believe they are equal to the master. Acting puts him too close to the real thing , so a new position was created
—-“coordinator”
Mizch

Those who wrote the letter did not want him to be popular as last time. They have tried to demote him. Don’t be surprised to see some of the cabals disobeying him and telling us that he is not the acting president. After all this is Nigeria. Possibly, PMB was so excited going to London that he did not take note of the nuance the letter carried.
- ’70
  
  The constitution is clear on that!
BroVic

Can the National Assembly please pass a law that guarantees rotation of the Presidency between North and South thereby saving us all this crap?
bashkano

All the hullabaloo on the word “coordinate” is a matter of conjecture. The Constitution is very clear that Mr. Vice President will act for the President whenever Mr. President passes his letter to the National Assembly regarding his absence. If there is anyone who wants to be sure of the other meaning of the word other than what it already means here can consult a semasiologist to assist him. For sure there is nothing about Mr. President Buhari that those die hard Hausa/Fulani antagonists will not misinterpret deliberately, in order to satisfy their ego ideals.