Yemi Osinbajo
Presidency Explains
Yemi Osinbajo
Presidency Explains Reduction of Osinbajo’s
Aides
The Presidency wishes to confirm that there is, on-going, an
unprecedented overhaul of the nation’s seat of government, arising
from which a number of political appointments have either been
revoked or not renewed in the Second Term.
The exercise, which has been ordered by the President, is to
streamline decision-making, cut down multiple authorities and
reduce the cost of administration.
It is also an appropriate response to the general perception that
the Presidency has an oversized and bloated workforce which acts as
a drag on efficiency.
As may have been noticed by discerning members of the public, a
number of political appointees among the few that served in the
office of the President were not returned for the Second Term.
The office of the Vice President, His Excellency Yemi Osinbajo
has, in compliance with the directive of the President, equally
been shed of a number of such appointees.
In carrying out these exercises, the overriding objective is to
save taxpayer money and deliver needed service to the public. As
far as the President is concerned, there is no scope for an excuse
for administration after getting a huge mandate to run the country
for four more years.
In the light of this, the Presidency wishes to strongly deny
rumours of a rift between President Muhammadu Buhari and Vice
President Yemi Osinbajo. The relationship between the two leaders
remains excellent and trusting. Together, they will script a
glorious future for the nation.
The media reports of a soured relationship are originating from
the minds and mouths of mischief makers, who are desperate for
entertaining stories from the Aso Rock Villa with which to
titillate the public. This ulterior motive is the basis of the
wrong interpretation given to the recent exercise in the
Presidency.
There has been a streamlining of staff going on for a while. The
President has always had fewer staff than the Vice President, and
there were always plans to reduce the number of staff at the
Villa.
The streamlining was not personal or targeted to undermine the
Vice President’s office, as the so-called insider sources quoted by
the media appear to make it seem.
The President is in absolute control of his government. The
media should stop attributing non-existent powers to some people.
There cannot be anyone too powerful for President Buhari to
control.
Garba Shehu
Senior Special Assistant to the President
(Media and Publicity)