Buhari's absence is affecting Nigeria's politics - Report

- President Muhammadu Buhari’s medical vacation to the United Kingdom (UK) is still a major topic in Nigeria

- A few hours after President Muhammadu Buhari left Nigeria for the UK, rumours floated on he had died

- The president’s vacation is said to be having an effect on Nigeria’s politics

A report by Daily Trust has detailed how President Muhammadu Buhari’s medical vacation in the UK is affecting Nigeria’s politics.

President Buhari's medical vacation is still a major topi in Nigeria

According to the report, the president’s absence has created suspicion in the polity and alters political calculations especially as 2019 approaches.

While some Nigerians believe that a good foundation has been laid by Buhari, others are of the opinion that the “tea party” is over as indicated by the use of his trip to ventilate their anger, with many drawing his rule to an end with the death rumours.

Ordinarily, the fact that the president had transmitted a letter to the National Assembly effectively ceding executive powers to Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, just like what he did in the past, should have calmed frayed nerves.

However, curious analysts, opposition politicians and those who are not in tune with his style of governance picked hole in the “abrupt” manner the journey was announced and executed.

When the president was departing for the 10-day vacation, Vice President Osinbajo, who was in Davos, Switzerland, attending the 2017 World Economic Forum returned to Nigeria the following day and resumed duty as acting president.

Acting President Yemi Osinbajo has carried on well in President Buhari's absence

“This abrupt departure of the president and abrupt return of the VP was the first thing that aroused suspicions that Buhari’s trip was not normal as Nigerians were made to believe,” said opposition politician, Musa Ali Bagi.

“Protocol-wise, it was not normal for the president to start a vacation while his deputy was away because a vacuum was created,” he said.

And the suspicion of the president’s weak health state heightened when it was announced that he would not return on the appointed date.

Buhari was to return on Sunday, February 5, so that he would be in his office on Monday, but sadly, it was on that Sunday that his aides announced he would not come.

“It was wrong for the president to also send a letter to the National Assembly, extending his leave without telling Nigerians when he would resume,” said PDP’s spokesman, Dayo Adeyeye.

“The president should know he is not a private citizen. He should know that Nigerians are the ones paying his health bills and therefore, he should tell them the true state of his health.

“He should not treat Nigerians with levity and should also know what is obtainable in civilized countries. Nigeria is not a jungle,” he added.

Since his departure and the return of Osinbajo, President Buhari’s office has since almost been deserted. Politicians, in particular, are no longer visiting the president’s office, and the acting president has been operating from the Vice President’s Wing of the Aso Rock Presidential Villa.

Since Osinbajo became acting president, only five state governors have visited the Presidential Villa. They include Abdulaziz Yari (Zamfara State), Mohammed Abubakar Badaru (Jigawa), Rochas Okorocha (Imo), Samuel Ortom (Benue) and Olusegun Mimiko (Ondo).

The National Chairman of the APC, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun, was at the State House for a meeting with the acting president Monday, February 6. He was not accompanied by any of the party’s national working committee.

The acting president had met with the leadership of the National Assembly over the economy and budget-related matters. Senate President Abubakar Bukola Saraki and House of Representatives Speaker Yakubu Dogara visited Osinbajo twice.

Osinbajo had led the weekly Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting three times between January 25 and February 8 where contracts were approved and certain policy decisions were made.

Osinbajo also met with the service chiefs. On January 20, he was briefed on the situation in The Gambia, where Nigerian troops were deployed last month.

However, the routine meeting of the National Security Council (NSC), which is headed by the president, has not been convened since President Buhari departed.

Since the president left, there has not been any meeting of the Council of State, even though Buhari himself only held such a meeting twice since his assumption of office on May 29, 2015.

On February 1, Acting President Yemi Osinbajo inaugurated new five national commissioners of the National Population Commission. But after administering the oath of office on them, the acting president made no remarks.

On Tuesday last week, the acting president forwarded the name of the Acting Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Walter Onnoghen, to the Senate for confirmation as substantive CJN.

Osinbajo has also been briefed by several heads of agencies including those of the Central Bank of Nigeria, the Nigeria Customs Service, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission and the Department of State Services.

Two traditional rulers have visited the acting president at the State House. They are the Emir of Kano, Muhammad Sanusi and the Oba of Lagos, Rilwan Akiolu.

The presidency has asserted that Osinbajo has done everything he ought to do as acting president.

His spokesman, Mr Laolu Akande: “There is absolutely nothing needed to be done that has not been done, the acting president has presided over Federal Executive Council meetings and has met with service chiefs.

“In fact, his first meeting with the service chiefs was when we came back from Davos when they briefed him on the situation in The Gambia. President Muhammadu Buhari has done well by transmitting powers to his deputy in line with the constitution.”

Akande said Osinbajo could not have moved to Buhari’s office because the former is only acting as president.

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