By Eniola Akinkuotu
ABUJA – Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Femi Adesina, says the economic management team hitherto led by Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo was dissolved “for good reasons” and also for “better management.”
Adesina said this during an interview on Channels TV’s ‘Politics Today’ programme on Wednesday.
When asked if the dissolution of Osinbajo’s economic team signalled a friction between the President and his deputy, Adesina said, “Nothing out of the ordinary is going on.
“Governance continues and the Presidency remains one. And this Presidency just wants to do what’s best for Nigeria.
“But, unfortunately, our country is one in which even if a 100-year-old man dies, people will still want to find out what killed him.
“In Nigeria, there are too many inferences from things that are just normal and natural; things that are designed to accelerate governance and ensure there is probity and accountability.
They will find all sorts of inferences.
“All that President Buhari has done, particularly this week, is just to tweak governance and get the best for Nigerians.”
The President’s spokesman said he was not aware of alleged plans by the Presidency to remove the Social Investment Programme from Osinbajo’s control.
He said the new economic advisory council, which will report directly to the President, could sometimes defer to the Vice-President when the need arises.
Adesina added, “You seem to forget that the Vice-President is the Number Two man in the country.
“If the President is away, the Vice-President acts because it is a joint ticket.
“Therefore, the new economic advisory body can also relate with the Vice-President when necessary.
“It is just some Nigerians who want to drive a wedge between the President and the Vice-President that are reading meaning to everything.
“They insinuate [something] about everything. It is still one Presidency and decisions taken are best for the country.”
When asked when the new economic council led by Prof. Doyin Salami would be inaugurated, Adesina said he had no idea but promised that it would be communicated to Nigerians in due course. (Punch)
