Osinbajo: Don’t drag NASS into executive issues – Senate

The Senate has said that it should not be dragged into the purported administrative infraction in the Presidency over alleged stripping of the Vice President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, of certain administrative powers.

This was as the upper chamber denied any knowledge of disquiet in the presidency, especially between the office of the President and that of the Vice President.

Recall that insinuation of a cold war in the presidency evolved last week following the disbandment of the Economic Management Team under the supervision of the office of the Vice President and its replacement with the National Economic Advisory Council to be headed by Prof. Doyin Salami.

The Daily Times also recall that few of the agencies under Osinbajo’s supervision such as the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) were taken away from the Vice President’s office to ministries, agencies and departments.

The chairman, Senate Committee on Media and Publicity, Senator Dayo Adeyeye, who stated the Senate position while interacting with Senate correspondents on Tuesday, said the legislature should be distanced from the issue.

When asked if the legislature as an arm if government would not intervene in the matter, he said “the Senate is not going to be involved in the probe of NEMA and we are not concerned about what is happening in the executive.

“We are not going to be involved in the issue of the Vice President. We are a different arm of government and we will not interfere in what is happening in the executive. “

When asked that the Vice President has certain roles and functions prescribed by the Constitution but which are being taken away from him, Adeyeye said the Senate was not aware of any constitutional roles being taken away from Osinbajo.

He said: “I am not aware that the President has stripped the vice president of any constitutional responsibilities and duties”.

However, he was quick to add that President Muhammadu Buhari as the executive President has the prerogative power to assign responsibilities to any government official and appointees.

He said should the presidency dabble into an issue that has constitutional restrictions, it will be subjected to legal interpretation.

Adeyeye said “but that has not happened, we cannot be talking about it. You have to wait till such happen before you can talk about it”.