Presidency reacts to rumoured sidelining of Osibanjo

The Senior Special Assistant (SSA) to the President on National Assembly Matters (Senate), Senator Babajide Omoworare, on Wednesday dismissed insinuations in some quarters that President Muhammadu Buhari has undermined the office of the vice president by travelling to the United Kingdom without informing the National Assembly.

After reports emerged that President Buhari had signed the amended Deep Offshore Act in London, there have been claims that he has relegated Vice President Yemi Osinbajo to the background in the scheme of things.

But Omoworare, who addressed newsmen in company of his colleague in the House of Representatives, Mr. Umar El-Yakub, said the insinuation was wrong.

According to him, Buhari has not undermined the office of the vice president by travelling without transmitting a letter that would empower him to function as acting president, to the National Assembly.

He said: “Contrary to the claims by some individuals and groups, the President has not in any way undermined or relegated the office of the Vice President. He has no reason to do so.

“I don’t think there is any way or manner that the office of the Vice President has been relegated.

“The President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria can work from anywhere he is in the world.”

He said it would have been an issue had it been that the president was ill and was unable to communicate his absence to the National Assembly.

“The only celebrated case was that of the late President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua, who was Ill and could not transmit any letter to the National Assembly.

“The National Assembly had to work round the situation by ensuring that the executive powers go to the vice president,” he added.

He said the current scenario was different from the Yar’Adua case and that Buhari had not done anything wrong.