No Programme Of Event Has Been Scheduled For Osinbajo As Acting President- Today - Politics

Barely 24 hours after President Muhammadu Buhari transmitted power to the Vice President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, there were indications yesterday that the next few days might be uneventful at the Aso Rock Villa.

It was gathered that the only major event major event expected to hold at the Villa will be the visit of the President of Germany, Joachim Gauck, but Osinbajo will not be performing that function because it was not part of the responsibilities passed on to him.


As at press time yesterday, the Protocol Unit of the Presidency was yet to schedule any other event which the “Acting President” would superintend over during his five-day tenure.

Apart from the daily bureaucratic routines which Osinbajo has been used to, it was unclear what other specific duties of the President he would be handling in the absence of his boss.
Presidency sources confirmed yesterday that since the President has proceeded on vacation, no programme of event has been scheduled for him (Osinbajo) by the protocol team.

The source said that since Friday when Buhari began the vacation, all programme of events in the presidential villa were being handled by the protocol unit in the Office of the Vice President, a clear indication that Osinbajo was in charge.

“You know that the President proceeded on the vacation from London so, no programme was prepared for him.
The only event that was confirmed by his protocol team even before he departed from the United Kingdom is a scheduled reception for the German President Joachim Gauck on Thursday next week when he (Buhari) will be resuming duties.
President Gauck and his partner Daniela Schadt will be in Nigeria from February 8-12, for an official visit.


It was gathered that on resumption on Thursday, President Buhari will host the visiting German President and his team to a dinner at the presidential villa, Abuja.
Buhari officially handed over the leadership of the country to Osinbajo on Friday, a decision the Presidency said was to enable Buhari to embark on a five day vacation which would be completely free from the rigors of state matters.

Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Femi Adesina, said President Buhari had transmitted a letter to the leadership of the National Assembly to intimidate them of the vacation in compliance with Section 145 of the Nigerian Constitution.

The statement said that, “while President Buhari is on vacation, the Vice President, Professor Yemi Osinbajo will perform the functions of the President.”
Section 145 of the Constitution of Nigeria states thus: “Whenever the President transmits to the President of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives a written declaration that he is proceeding on vacation or that he is otherwise unable to discharge the functions of his office, until he transmits to them a written declaration to the contrary such functions shall be discharged by the Vice- President as Acting President.”

This clause was inserted into the Nigerian Constitution in 2010 after the power tussle that ensued in 2009 when the late President, Alhaji Umar Musa Yar Adua proceeded on an emergency and later prolonged medical vacation without handing over power to his then deputy, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan, thereby creating a power vacuum.
As if to make matters worse, Yar Adua also failed to transmit a letter to the National Assembly informing them of his absence.

https://www.today.ng/news/national/76308/osinbajo-wont-receive-german-president-presidency