Buhari and his aides have restrained Osinbajo, says Reuters

President Muhammadu Buhari and some of his aides have
restrained Acting President Osinbajo, according to Reuters.

In a report titled: ‘Nigeria stand-in careful not to upset the
boat as Buhari steers from London’, the news agency said Buhari has
kept a grip on power despite his medical leave.

Since May 7, Buhari has been in London receiving treatment for
an undisclosed ailment.

“Even from far-away London, Buhari and his aides have restrained
Osinbajo,” the report read.

“Osinbajo and his aides often hold meetings which have enlivened
a presidential villa criticized for inertia — but he still seeks
approval from Buhari or his chief of staff.”

An unnamed presidency official reportedly said Osinbajo is
scared to take any action without Buhari’s consent.

“He (Osinbajo) is so scared to offend President Buhari to the
extent that he takes no major action without consent from him
through phone,” the official who asked not to be named, reportedly
said.

“He flew to London for a few hours last month to get Buhari’s
approval to appoint two ministers who had been already cleared by
parliament.

“During the meeting, Buhari even asked Osinbajo to give the
ministers no portfolio as he wanted to assign them himself after
his return.”

The report said Osinbajo is “walking a tightrope” to avoid
policies that may annoy Buhari and his inner circle.

“The chief of staff and his team are working alongside Osinbajo
on the understanding that (he) will not run in 2019,” a government
adviser was quoted to have said.

“Osinbajo has never said he wants to run… as we enter the
election, the issue of mutual trust becomes crucial because nobody
wants to be ambushed.”

Reuters said “the more business-friendly” Osinbajo has been
reluctant to challenge Buhari and that the acting president’s bold
economic reforms to “wrestle the naira into shape is fast
closing”.

The agency said the news of the imminent return of Buhari could
affect the steps being made to bring Nigeria out of recession.

“President Muhammadu Buhari signaled over the past weekend that
he is ready to return from receiving medical treatment in London as
soon as his doctors allowed it,” the report read.

“That could put paid to investor hopes for economic changes to
qualify Nigeria for a World Bank loan to drag it out of recession.
It will also leave the plethora of naira exchange rates standing,
albeit perhaps closer to each other.”

Cobus de Hart, senior economist at South Africa’s NKC African
Economics, was quoted as saying he was in doubt if the return of
the president would go “hand in hand” with the acceleration of
reform implementation.

“We don’t expect any deviation from the current economic policy
stance should President Buhari return,” Hart was quoted to have
said

“One could hope that the return of the president goes hand in
hand with an acceleration of reform implementation, but we doubt
this will be the case.”

John Ashbourne, Africa economist at Capital Economics, also gave
his opinion on the president’s imminent return.

“There is a possibility that Buhari returns, sees things
improving and thinks there is no need to change anything. Further
reforms are desperately needed to achieve meaningful growth,” he
reportedly said.

Laolu Akande, spokesman of Osinbajo, was not available for
comments as he had not responded to a text message sent by TheCable
as of the time this report was filed.

Back in February, when Buhari went on his first medical leave in
the year, Babafemi Ojudu, special adviser to the president on
political matters, said all the achievements recorded under
Osinbajo were as a result of the foundations laid by the
president.

“There is nothing that has been done since the vice-president
started acting that did not start under the
president,” he had said.

Asked if Osinbajo had been consulting Buhari, he said: “Almost
on a daily basis…‎ Well, there are areas he still needs to consult
the president, I mean is not a regular thing but major decisions he
still has to consult Mr. President. The president is still the
president.

“He is more experienced, he has been in the game longer than the
vice-president and if there are major issues that he needs to take
decision on, he could call on him and say, ‘sir, what do you think
about this we are about to take decision on it, do you have
opinion?’ That does not mean he is not in charge.”

President Muhammadu Buhari and some of his aides have
restrained Acting President Osinbajo, according to Reuters.

In a report titled: ‘Nigeria stand-in careful not to upset the
boat as Buhari steers from London’, the news agency said Buhari has
kept a grip on power despite his medical leave.

Since May 7, Buhari has been in London receiving treatment for
an undisclosed ailment.

“Even from far-away London, Buhari and his aides have restrained
Osinbajo,” the report read.

“Osinbajo and his aides often hold meetings which have enlivened
a presidential villa criticized for inertia — but he still seeks
approval from Buhari or his chief of staff.”

An unnamed presidency official reportedly said Osinbajo is
scared to take any action without Buhari’s consent.

“He (Osinbajo) is so scared to offend President Buhari to the
extent that he takes no major action without consent from him
through phone,” the official who asked not to be named, reportedly
said.

“He flew to London for a few hours last month to get Buhari’s
approval to appoint two ministers who had been already cleared by
parliament.

“During the meeting, Buhari even asked Osinbajo to give the
ministers no portfolio as he wanted to assign them himself after
his return.”

The report said Osinbajo is “walking a tightrope” to avoid
policies that may annoy Buhari and his inner circle.

“The chief of staff and his team are working alongside Osinbajo
on the understanding that (he) will not run in 2019,” a government
adviser was quoted to have said.

“Osinbajo has never said he wants to run… as we enter the
election, the issue of mutual trust becomes crucial because nobody
wants to be ambushed.”

Reuters said “the more business-friendly” Osinbajo has been
reluctant to challenge Buhari and that the acting president’s bold
economic reforms to “wrestle the naira into shape is fast
closing”.

The agency said the news of the imminent return of Buhari could
affect the steps being made to bring Nigeria out of recession.

“President Muhammadu Buhari signaled over the past weekend that
he is ready to return from receiving medical treatment in London as
soon as his doctors allowed it,” the report read.

“That could put paid to investor hopes for economic changes to
qualify Nigeria for a World Bank loan to drag it out of recession.
It will also leave the plethora of naira exchange rates standing,
albeit perhaps closer to each other.”

Cobus de Hart, senior economist at South Africa’s NKC African
Economics, was quoted as saying he was in doubt if the return of
the president would go “hand in hand” with the acceleration of
reform implementation.

“We don’t expect any deviation from the current economic policy
stance should President Buhari return,” Hart was quoted to have
said

“One could hope that the return of the president goes hand in
hand with an acceleration of reform implementation, but we doubt
this will be the case.”

John Ashbourne, Africa economist at Capital Economics, also gave
his opinion on the president’s imminent return.

“There is a possibility that Buhari returns, sees things
improving and thinks there is no need to change anything. Further
reforms are desperately needed to achieve meaningful growth,” he
reportedly said.

Laolu Akande, spokesman of Osinbajo, was not available for
comments as he had not responded to a text message sent by TheCable
as of the time this report was filed.

Back in February, when Buhari went on his first medical leave in
the year, Babafemi Ojudu, special adviser to the president on
political matters, said all the achievements recorded under
Osinbajo were as a result of the foundations laid by the
president.

“There is nothing that has been done since the vice-president
started acting that did not start under the
president,” he had said.

Asked if Osinbajo had been consulting Buhari, he said: “Almost
on a daily basis…‎ Well, there are areas he still needs to consult
the president, I mean is not a regular thing but major decisions he
still has to consult Mr. President. The president is still the
president.

“He is more experienced, he has been in the game longer than the
vice-president and if there are major issues that he needs to take
decision on, he could call on him and say, ‘sir, what do you think
about this we are about to take decision on it, do you have
opinion?’ That does not mean he is not in charge.”