Sequel to President Muhammadu Buhari’s approval of the appointment of the Special Adviser to the government on Finance and Economy, the President has also approved the dismissal of 35 aides from the office of the Vice President, Yemi Osinbajo.
This was reported by Daily Nigerian News, in its publication on Wednesday.
According to the report, amongst the 35 aides who are to be issued official sack letters are Senior Special Assistants, Special Assistants, Personal Assistants and Technical Assistants.
The aides were initially posted to line ministries last month, an orchestrated plan to deny them access to the villa, a move in anticipation of their dismissal and also a move made to cut on the level of influence of the Vice President, Yemi Osinbajo.
Daily Nigerian while quoting it’s source said,
“Although more than half of the aides are under the payroll of donor agencies, the cabal eased them out in order to whittle down the influence of the vice president,” said a source familiar with the development.
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“None of them were queried or interdicted for any wrongdoing. It is not about cutting cost, because no aide was sacked in the president’s office nor office of the First Lady, where six more aides appointed less than one month ago. They were just sacked to reduce the VP’s influence.”
This development, alongside a series of event which has occurred in the past months may confirm the rumoured rift between the President and the Vice President.
The President had transferred some agencies headed by Osinbajo to other officials, most recent being the RUGA project being taken from Mr Osinbajo’s control at the recommendation Abba Kyari, Chief of staff to the President.
Also President Buhari removed from the Vice President’s office the Special Intervention Programmes, SIPs, which includes Trader Moni, N-Power amongst others from the vice president’s office
This agencies was then transferred to Sadiya Umar Farouq, the Minister heading the newly created Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management, and Social Development, and the alleged Second wife to be of the President.
It has also been rumoured that Osinbajo may be facing continuous travails in the Presidency as a result of the continuous influence of the Cabals on the President, Muhammadu Buhari.
Osinbajo has been said to have stepped on the Cabals’ toes when he made some fierce decisions while acting in the office of the President, including the dismissal of Lawal Daura, erstwhile director-general of the State Security Service, SSS.
Also amonsgt those decision was one in which the VP transmitted a letter to the Senate in February 2017, which requested the confirmation then acting Chief Justice of Nigeria, CJN, Walter Samuel Onnoghen