Why forces are against Osinbajo

The latest alleged plot to whittle down the powers of Vice
President Yemi Osinbajo in the scheme of things at the presidency
has kept gathering momentum, Daily
trust report.^[1]

It all started with the disbandment of the Economic Management
Team (EMT) chaired by the vice president on Monday. The presidency
announced the replacement of the EMT with the Economic Advisory
Council (EAC) via a statement by presidential spokesman Femi
Adesina.

Without mincing words, the presidency said the council would be
reporting directly to President Muhammadu Buhari, thus removing the
management of the country’s economy from Osinbajo’s
supervision.

Before the uproar generated by the replacement of the EMT
settled, then comes the stripping of Osinbajo of powers to
supervise some federal government agencies. A memo to that effect
has been issued to the vice president.

Osinbajo chairs the governing boards of the National Emergency
Management Agency (NEMA), Border Communities Development Agency
(BCDA), National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies (NIPSS)
and the National Boundary Commission (NBC).

He also chairs the Board of Directors of Niger Delta Power
Holding Company (NDPHC), a limited liability company owned by the
three tiers of government, and was also Chairman of the National
Council on Privatization (NCP).

Multiple sources, including at the presidency, said the
development was not unconnected with the scheming and machinations
for 2023 when President Buhari will be completing his second and
final term in office.

One of the sources said though the Osinbajo-led EMT has not done
much in turning around the country’s economy, the replacement was
not about performance. “It is not about performance but politics of
2023,” the source said.

Also a senator, who will not want to be named, said the power
tussle was part of the plot to dump the Southwest ahead of
2023.

“It’s 2023 calculations but in my own opinion fighting the
Southwest would not be good for the polity,” the lawmaker said.

Recalling how the Southwest supported the emergence of Buhari in
2015, he said it was time for the North to reciprocate the
gesture.

A top northern politician also linked the development to the
scheming for 2023.

Speaking anonymously, the politician said there was a lot of
intense activity by people very close to the president on 2023.

“They want to get an edge in the competition over who will
succeed him (Buhari) come 2023.

“The last thing that the president who is already running a very
difficult administration needs is to have his vice president
embroiled in a speculation and controversy that divert attention
from the running of the government.

“However, it’s fair for Nigerians to speculate whether this is
part of the ongoing fight between El-Rufai, Tinubu and Osinbajo
himself.

“You can’t wish away some of these speculations. It’s part of
normal politics and governance. I wish the president will say
something clearly and specifically to lay to rest some of these
rather disturbing speculations. This is what he needs to do,” he
said.

Buhari had in July said he would not name anybody as his
successor. The president said: “Succession, to me this is very
funny; because if I did find anybody I will create more problems
for him or her. Let those who want to be president try as much as I
did.

“I believe those who are interested need to know that I tried
three times and the fourth time I thank God and technology,
PVC.”