By Andrew Onyejuruuwa
Following the rumoured rift brewing between President Muhammadu Buhari and his Vice, Prof. Yemi Osinbaji, the Yoruba Council of Elders (YCEs) has called on Prof. Osinbajo not to resign his position as Vice President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria on the grounds of the alleged war against him by a cabal in the Presidency. YCE also reminded Buhari to remember Osinbajo’s loyalty to him and to shun the evil move by some powers that be against his Vice President.
Dr. Kunle Olajide, Secretary General of YCE, said it was obvious that some persons were “seriously” working against the Vice President, saying the 2023 presidential ambition of some of Osinbajo’s persecutors was the reason for doing this. The YCE Secretary said, “We know like other Nigerians that there are enough signs that some people are working against Osinbajo but who the people are, I don’t know. It is obvious that some people are working against him and unfortunately, it appears as if Mr President is dancing to their tune.
“I will urge Mr President to remember the Vice President’s loyalty to him in the past four years, especially when he was out of the country for three months and refused to allow unguarded ambition to push him.” Olajide said the elders’ council did not support the advice given by some people to Osinbajo to resign his position when he added that, “President Muhammadu Buhari and Vice President Yemi Osinbajo hold the ticket together. Both of them were elected on a joint ticket, so Osinbajo should not resign,” he said.
Rather than resign, the YCE, according to him urged the Vice President to remain loyal to the President and serve the country “patriotically.” Again, he said, “Osinbajo should remain God-fearing and people-centred in his activities and in the end, he will be vindicated. No matter the motivation of some 2023 presidential aspirants against him, he should remain steadfast in what he is doing in the past four years that are acceptable to Nigerians and to God.”
The latest reaction on the “Osinbajo – Buhari rift” when the Presidency on Friday finally accepted that Buhari actually ordered the sacking of some aides to Osinbajo. Before the acceptance, media aides to the President had repeatedly denied that something of that nature happened at the Villa. Buhari’s Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Mr Garba Shehu, who in a statement officially confirmed the sacking, however denied that the exercise was targeted at Osinbajo or that there existed any rift between Buhari and Osinbajo.
