President Muhammadu Buhari has said the ongoing reorganisation at the presidency led to the sack of 35 aides working with Vice President Yemi Osinbajo.
A statement by the President’s spokesman, Malam Garba Shehu, in Abuja on Saturday, said the president stated this when he fielded questions from State House Correspondents, shortly after his arrival from London on Friday night.
President Buhari said: ”It is unfortunate that the recent disengagement of some political appointees from the presidency had been given ‘‘ethnic and political’’ interpretations.
‘‘They said 35 people were sacked in the Vice President’s office. We just created some ministries and we reorganised and people are giving it ethnic and political dimensions. It is unfortunate.”
Responding to a question on what next for his administration after a well deserved rest in London, the President said: ‘‘We are going to work harder and be accountable.
“We have tried to make Nigerians understand why we do certain things. Accountability from bottom to top is absolutely necessary.
‘‘Whoever is responsible for government property, [should know] it is public property, it is not personal and he has to manage it according to the law.
‘‘That’s what I expect and I think that we have been around long enough to impress on people that we mean what we say.”
Meanwhile, the recent developments at the seat of power have been throwing up conversations in public circles as to whether the action was targeted at whittling down Vice President Osinbajo’s powers.
Recall the presidency had replaced the Economic Management Team chaired by Osinbajo with the Economic Advisory Council led by Prof. Doyin Salami, which reports directly to the president.
In addition, Buhari moved the Social Investment Programme (SIP), which was under the supervision of the vice president, to the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Investment that was only created in August.
