November 5, 2019

Eniola Akinkuotu, Abuja

The lawmaker representing Oyo State’s Egbeda/Ona Ara Federal Constituency at the House of Representatives, Akin Alabi, has said that, in a presidential system of government such as obtained in the United States and Nigeria, the post of the Chief of Staff is more powerful than that of the Vice President.

The APC lawmaker is reacting to President Muhammadu Buhari’s signing of the Deep Offshore (and Inland Basin Production Sharing Contract) Act in London, where he is currently on “private visit.”

His Chief of Staff, Abba Kyari, had taken the document to him on Monday, leading to speculations that Vice President Yemi Osinbajo has been sidelined.

In reaction to the lawmaker’s claim, two Senior Advocates of Nigeria — Messrs Ebun-Olu Adegboruwa and Ifedayo Adedipe — said Alabi’s assertion had no constitutional basis.

Alabi, who is the founder of Nigeria’s first online sports betting portal, NairaBET, made his views known via his Twitter handle @akinalabi on Tuesday.

In a series of tweets, the APC lawmaker said the Chief of Staff “is the assistant President, while the Vice President is merely a stand-in for the president.”

“Whether you like it or not, in a presidential system of government (eg, US, Nigeria), the post of the Chief of Staff is more “powerful” than that of the Vice President. He is the assistant President. The Vice President is a stand-in for the president,” the lawmaker said.

Continuing, he said, “It is NOT the duty of the Vice President to take a bill to the president. It’s the job of an assistant, like the Chief of Staff. The Vice President has been excellent performing his constitutional duties and the ones assigned to him.”

He surmised that, “If the President decides NOT to see Vice President Osinbajo as a PA, which I don’t think he should, then I’m 100% in support of that.”

Dealing knocks to those he described as noisemakers, Alabi said, “I understand the political agenda of the noisemakers but anyone ready to learn should learn.”

Wondering what Osinbajo’s relationship is with Buhari’s Chief of Staff Abba Kyari, Alabi tweeted further, “I don’t know whether there are problems between the Chief of Staff and the Vice President. Maybe there is. It’s politics and it happens everywhere.

“But with this bill signing issue, there is nothing out of the ordinary for the Chief of staff to bring a document for the president.”

Speaking with The PUNCH on Tuesday, however, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Mr. Ebun-Olu Adegboruwa, said the office of the chief of staff was unknown to Nigerian law.

He, therefore, said there was no need for such controversy. Adegboruwa said, “The chief of staff is the head of the President’s personal staff. But our Constitution in Nigeria is different from other countries.

“The Supreme Court has held that the vice-president runs on the same ticket with the President and can act on his behalf when the President is not available.

“The second point is that the vice-president enjoys the mandate of the people through the ballot and can only be removed as recommended by the Constitution, while the chief of staff can be sacked at any time. Elevating a chief of staff above the vice-president is an aberration."

“What is playing out in Nigeria presently is an unfortunate development on how our system is being bastardised, where a bill is taken to the President in London to sign a law for Nigerians.”

Adegboruwa called on the President to surround himself with good legal advisers so as not to undermine the Nigerian Constitution.

“I think it is important for the President not to operate as an offshore leader,” he added.

Speaking in the same vein, Mr. Ifedayo Adedipe (SAN), said the [office of the] chief of staff is unknown to the Constitution of Nigeria. Adedipe said the chief of staff had no statutory role and was an “unelected official” and thus could not be more powerful than a person occupying a constitutional office.

He said, “What law makes a chief of staff more powerful than the vice-president? “The chief of staff is a personal staffer of the President, as opposed to the vice-president who is constitutionally recognised to act.

“If a President is disdainful of the vice-president, it is because the society permits it. “The fact that the chief of staff has the ears of the President doesn’t make him equal to an elected official. “The office of the chief of staff is not known to law.”

https://punchng.com/sans-dismiss-apc-lawmakers-claim-that-cos-is-more-powerful-than-vp/amp

I really don't understand the attitude of this APC guys.. must you always justify the gaffes of Bubu??

Instead of sounding stupid, just shut the f.......k up. It's this their nonsense all day round defence of Bubu that has made his arrogance and disdain for the citizenry 100% because he knows some morons will still defend nonsense.

Today now, Nigeria are slaves in their own country because this government has failed in governance. But why the hell are my disturbing myself? The popular opinion is that Nigeria will never get better and it's because of fools like this alabi that will always defend the imbeciles in power.


Lalasticlala!

The koko be say, this BILL that will move the nation forward has been signed by our darling President.

WTF, is wrong with wailers and the enemies of the nation about who took it to the president to sign?
Why are these people just mad and stupid unnecessary?

We are 100% sure that over 90% of these criminals crying do not even know what the bill entails.
All they are after is to cause rift between Baba and Prof for their selfish political interest come 2023.

Bunch of criminals.

" Had no constitutional basis "

The lawyers did not say he is lying...

Same way Personal assistant to Nigeria governors somehow powerful than the Deputy governor

What sensible thing do you expect from the nairabet boss.... He wants to start gambling with our politics again.

Oya who is greater

Vice President 1.43 odds
Chief of Staff 4.54 odds

No be lie na...

Vp na just errand boy


Especially in Bubus admin

APC members & stupidity are 5&6

post=83780127:
Okay

Whats okay?
You want to book space to write your trash as usual? Nemesis will caught up on you one day.

Nigeria a waste of geographical space! Apc tyrannical government will go down as the worst yet!

He is only right in his delusional mind.
This is how daft they are.
Always spewing bullcrap because we the youths are still divided along religious, ethnic and partisan lines.
We are first humans and Nigerians before falling into what ever you are conformed to.

MO-RON!

The office of COS does NOT even exist in the Constitution....
It’s merely a position for administrative facilitation created by Obasanjo
>

Cows will support their fellow cow.

Anyways the VP is more than an errand boy. Let the COS do the work of a PA let my prof rest.


Anyways, i have got new excel templates to help your office work and business grow. Check my siggy

Like seriously,..
What is vice president and assistant president.

Is the vice president not the same with the assistant president.

Don't even get this anymore.

It is very unfortunate and pitiable that we found ourselves in this kind of mess! A leader surrounded by sycophants will rule his subjects into Bermuda triangle.

Ass-licking politicians everywhere

SAD!!!!

I know Osibanjo will overcome all this politrick and campaign of calumny.

Osibanjo for 2023.

The level of Anyhowness in this Country is alarming.

I expected this from the Cone-head NairaBet owner..always trying to justify what's wrong.

Everybody just dy do anyhow...Mo'fuckers everywhere

Grumpyy:
I really don't understand the attitude of this APC guys.. must you always justify the gaffes of Bubu??

Instead of sounding stupid, just shut the f.......k up. It's this their nonsense all day round defence of Bubu that has made his arrogance and disdain for the citizenry 100% because he knows some morons will still defend nonsense.

Today now, Nigeria are slaves in their own country because this government has failed in governance. But why the hell are my disturbing myself? The popular opinion is that Nigeria will never get better and it's because of fools like this alabi that will always defend the imbeciles in power.


Lalasticlala!

I'm really in support of ur comment, Nigerians are so gullible and I don't know whether that Buhari has brainwashed them to such level they don't want to criticize him, he doesn't seem to know what he is doing and still some people are ready to die for him. As for me he is a fail3and the worst president we ever had. Goodluck Jonathan was light years better. I pray the next person that comes can fix this shit this guy has smeared all over this country

overdrive:

South western Nigeria and their claims of Education on display?

The issue of controversy is not about the COS like an errand boy taking a bill to Buhari in London to sign. What is at stake is did Buhari hand over powers to the VP in acting capacity in line with the constitution..If the answer is NO, Osinbajo is seen as irrelevant in this government most especially now that he has been stripped of control over the economy.

Grumpyy:
November 5, 2019



https://punchng.com/sans-dismiss-apc-lawmakers-claim-that-cos-is-more-powerful-than-vp/amp

In naija, as long as you geh connect, anything goes. People go say na grace.

Me sef dey enjoy that "grace" rainow

He is just been factual. V.P most times is not part of the President's inner caucus, and therefore not privy to most discussion and secrets except he is briefed.

Whereas the COS most times knows the mind of the President more than the President's wife.

It's more the the relationship between Oga and his personal driver, and that of Oga and his wife.

If the man is not one that opens up to the wife, the driver will certainly know more and see more than the wife.

Might even know more than both and even more about the family, if he also doubles as Madame's driver.

Na wetin aboki man dey see for Nagos be that.

This county matter don taya person o

usman3688:


I'm really in support of ur comment, Nigerians are so gullible and I don't know whether that Buhari has brainwashed them to such level they don't want to criticize him, he doesn't seem to know what he is doing and still some people are ready to die for him. As for me he is a fail3and the worst president we ever had. Goodluck Jonathan was light years better. I pray the next person that comes can fix this shit this guy has smeared all over this country

it is not brainwashing it is fearwashing do you think making scapegoats left,right and centre is not nothing

You can't defend Buhari without sounding stupid.

See how stupid Akin Alabi just sounded.

It's a shame dis is coming out of a yoruba man mouth ..that's it for us trying to be loyal which is a lie....but won't blame him seems they have started playing bet naija in his brain