The Senior Special Assistant to the President on National Assembly Matters (Senate), Senator Babajide Omoworare, Wednesday said President Muhammadu Buhari did not relegate Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo by travelling without transmitting a letter to the National Assembly to empower the vice president to act in his absence.
Omoworare stated this while briefing newsmen in Abuja on Wednesday.
Buhari had, on November 2, 2019, embarked on a private visit to London and he is expected to return to Nigeria on November 17.
The National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress, Mr. Adams Oshiomhole, had, on Tuesday, said that the President could “rule from anywhere.”
Omoworare backed Oshiomhole yesterday, saying contrary to worries by some individuals and groups, the president had not, in any way, undermined or relegated the office of the vice president.
“He has no reason to do so. I don’t think there is any way or manner that the office of the Vice President has been relegated. The President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria can work from anywhere he is in the world,” the presidential aide stated.
The presidential aide insisted that the only case where people could raise issues would be if the president falls ill and is unable to transmit his absence to the National Assembly.
According to him, “The only celebrated case was that of the late President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua, who was ill and could not transmit any letter to the National Assembly. The National Assembly had to work round the situation by ensuring that executive powers go to the vice president.’’
He said the present circumstance was different from the Yar’Adua era and that Buhari did not breach any law by not transmitting a letter to the National Assembly to enable the Osinbajo exercise executive powers while on his ongoing private trip to London.