A cold war is brewing between President Mohammadu Buhari and Vice
President Yemi Osinbajo over Sani Sidi, the Director General of the
National Emergency Management Agency, NEMA and others, Presidential
Sources confirmed to Pointblanknews.com.
Trouble started when VP Osinbajo recommended the sacking of over 50 heads
of parastatals and agencies appointed by former President Goodluck
Jonathan.
According to sources, the VP who supervises most of the Agencies and
Parastatals, had included the NEMA boss and others said to be
predominantly from the North for sacking.
Unknown to Osinbajo, Sidi, an appointee of former President Jonathan, had
warmed his way into the heart of President Buhari who sees him as a
thoroughbred professional especially with the role played by NEMA during
his Boko Haram attack on July 2014.
Sources told Pointblanknews.com that once the recommendation for the
sacking of the NEMA boss and others got to Buhari, the President insisted
that Sidi and few others be left to serve under his Government.
A source in the Presidency who prefers anonymity told Pointblanknews.com
that Buhari particularly extoled the qualities of the NEMA boss, wondering
why he and few others who had served the last Government should be
removed.
Irked by the President’s decision, the VP who was bent on removing all
heads of parastatals and agencies to pave the way for All Progressive
Congress, APC members who were already grumbling for being left behind
after the election, devised other means to frustrate leaders of
parastatals under him.
Investigations confirmed that Osinbajo on several occasions refused to
grant approvals to heads of agencies under him including NEMA.
“He doesn’t want to meet with them, they have been coming here crying for
help, he has not treated their files sent to him from heads of agencies he
had recommended for removal, including that of NEMA which has been
handling critical matters especially Boko Haram attacks and other
emergencies in the country,” the source in the Presidency told
Pointblanknews.com.
Following complaints lodged by some of heads of agencies and parastatals,
the President is said to be unhappy with the Vice President and has
directed top aides to work out modalities for dealing with those affected
agencies.
Sources told Pointblanknews.com that the office of the Chief of Staff to
the President is now charged with treating files from NEMA and other
critical agencies.
Buhari had in February approved the immediate disengagement of 26 out of
over 100 heads of federal parastatals, agencies and commissions.
Their disengagement was announced in a statement issued by Babachir David
Lawal, Secretary to the Federal Government.