Crack Between Buhari, Tinubu’s Men Widens
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LAGOS AUGUST 1ST (NEWRANGERS)-The crack between loyalists of President Muhammadu Buhari and those loyal to a national leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, is said to have widened owing to recent developments that borders on the president’s long absence from the country on medical grounds.
The relationship between both men have been reportedly frosty since the governing APC came to power in 2015 but they have successfully managed it even though there are always suspicion on both sides, sources said.
According to credible sources at the Villa, the latest issue between the two factions may not be unconnected with possible return of the president to the country soon.
It was learnt that if the president returns, there will be sponsored pressure on him to resign to allow Acting President Yemi Osinbajo be sworn in as president.
Independent learnt that the orchestrated pressure will hinge on what President Buhari said in 2010 when the late President Umaru Yar’Adua was sick.
Nigeria under the Yar’Adua presidency was almost grounded with daily rallies and protests from civil society organisations demanding the National Assembly to act and confirm then former Vice President Goodluck Jonathan as president.
It would be recalled that Buhari had said that the only option to the political logjam in the country then was for the National Assembly to start impeachment process against the late President Umaru Yar’Adua.
Buhari spoke while addressing members of the National Unity Forum (NUF), who paid him a courtesy visit in Kaduna.
He also said Yar’Adua could save himself from ridicule of impeachment by resigning from office honourably.
He had said the Executive Council of the Federation (EXCOF) owed the nation a sacred duty by ensuring the confusion at the time was resolved by declaring Yar’Adua incapacitated to pave the way for his removal from office.
According to him, the country should not have been in the situation if the provisions of the 1999 constitution were respected by the leadership of the country, maintaining that the constitution had specific provisions on how a sick president can be replaced.
Buhari had said the refusal by the EXCOF to respect and apply the constitutional provisions had led to the rudderless situation the country found itself.
“As you can see, adopting extra-constitutional measures has not addressed the problem. If it had, we would not have been subjected to the raging debates and controversies going on. So, we must go back to the constitution. The EXCOF must do the right thing because once we start moving away from the constitution, then we are inviting anarchy”, Buhari had said.
It was learnt that many of the president’s loyalists are accusing Tinubu of orchestrating the pressure to pave way for his protégé, Osinbajo, to become president.
According to our source, “The press will start asking for the president’s resignation when he comes back just as he (Buhari) did with Yar’A dua as opposition leader. The president’s men are, however, accusing Bola Tinubu’s people as orchestrating the move to the benefit of the South West. This has further expanded the gulf between Bola and the president’s men”.
However, speaking with Independent, Babafemi Ojudu, Special Adviser to the President on Political Matters, said calls for the president’s impeachment or resignation will be unnecessary, adding that governance is running smoothly even in his absence.
On whether governance has been stalled owing to the president’s absence, he said, “I don’t think so. The president is away and we believe he will be back soon but he has a capable vice president who is very energetic, industrious and understands the challenges of Nigerians.
“The man is in charge of the Economic Management Team and so many other things. To me, I don’t think anything is lacking. When we started, naira was almost going to N1000 to a dollar and the man quickly took charge and improved on the quality of our currency. I don’t think anything is missing owing to the president’s absence.
“Anybody could fall sick, whether you are old or young, male or female. So, we cannot blame Mr. President. He didn’t cause his sickness and thank God he is recovering fast now. With the combined energy, intelligence and experience of both of them, they will get us out of the woods”.
Daily Independent
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Posted by News Rangers
on Aug 1 2017. Filed under State.
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