Earlier reports had been gathered that President Buhari had sacked 35 of Osinbajo’s aides, but recent reports gathered by The Punch News revealed that The Vice-President had tried to delay the process, but his efforts yielded no result.
Recall that The Herald had earlier on Wednesday reported that President Muhammadu Buhari had approved the dismissal of about 35 of the aides . However, the numbers were not confirmed as of Wednesday.
Accordingto reports, The Vice Presidents Office had initially tried to delay the issue till the President Muhammadu Buhari returns to the country from London on November 17.
The Vice President has initially pushed for the delay to enable him have some discussions relating to the issue with the President but the Presidency reportedly went ahead to effect the sacking.
According to Punch, one of their sources said : “There was an intervention for a delay, but the decision was effected while the President has yet to return (to the country),”
The source claimed the Chief of Staff to the President, Mr Abba Kyari, effected the action.
One of the aides that had been sacked was said to have been denied clearance to access the Villa on Wednesday from the main Gate of the Presidential Villa.
According to further reports, it was learnt that The Vice President allegedly had more aides than The President, some of whom were appointed while he was the acting President when Buhari was in London in 2017.
According to a source from Punch “It is true that many of VP’s aides were given termination letters. However, I cannot confirm the exact number because it was not done in public. But you know it is political.
“Some of those dismissed are those who had been made redundant since the VP’s duties have been reduced and some of the social investment programmes have been put under other ministries.”
But according to a second source, apparently The President was not aware that Osinbajo’s aides would be sacked. The source said it was the handy work of the Cabal in the Presidency.
When contacted for comments on the sacking of the aides, the Special Assistant on Media and Publicity to the President, Mr Garba Shehu, said, “The SGF has responsibility for the issuance of letters of appointment, and where the need arises, sack letters as well.”
But the Director of Information, Office of the SGF, Willie Bassey, told one the correspondents to Punch that he was not aware of the sacking.
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“I am not aware of any letter. I am hearing such thing from you for the first time. I am not aware of it,”