Aides of Vice President Yemi Osinbajo on Wednesday began the collection of their letter of disengagement following the termination of their appointments by President Muhammmadu Buhari.
Their disengagement had created controversy following an alleged plan by the President to reduce the influence of the Vice President.
BusinessDay Villa check revealed that two of the Vice President’s aides received their letters of disengagement on Wednesday.
But the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity (Office of the Vice President), Laolu Akande could not be reached at the time of filing this report.
A Senior Presidential aide who spoke to Businessday on condition of anonymity revealed that two of the Vice President’s aides were served their letters on Wednesday.
Osinbajo’s travails, BusinessDay gathered, is not unconnected to the current power struggles with people identified as “Villa cabals.”
Following the return of President Buhari for second term, the Vice President came under attacks over alleged misappropriation of funds in some government agencies including the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS).
BusinessDay gathered that the cabals have allegedly refused to forgive the Vice President for sacking the former Director-General, Department of State Services, DSS, Lawan Daura
A top member of the ruling All Progressive Congress (APC), Suleiman Lamorde, while reacting to the development, however, blamed those he described as “political distractors” for, according to him, “ making a mountain out of an anthill.
“The President is in charge of the government and everyone engaged in the Presidency is engaged by the President and deployed to the offices, including the office of the Vice President. So, the Vice President’s aides owe their allegiance to the President.”
Lamorde, an Abuja based legal practitioner while debunking claims of love lost between the President and his Vice President, admonished Nigerians not to escalate the tension.
“ We appeal to Nigerians not to escalate these issues. Buhari and Osinbjo are working in harmony. We cannot afford any distractions now,” he said.
