The Presidency has confirmed the sack of some political appointees in the office of the Vice President, Professor Yemi Osinbajo.

Mr Garba Shehu, the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, gave reasons for the action in a statement on Friday.

The statement came amid reports that dozens of persons appointed in the office of the Vice President have been relieved of their duties.

The Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF) was reported to have distributed letters to the affected aides on Wednesday.

Professor Osinbajo is said to have scores of aides deployed in strategic positions in government such as the Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs).

Barely two days after the news of the sack surfaced, Mr Shehu confirmed that there has been “a streamlining of staff” going on for a while.

The President, according to him, had always had fewer staff than the Vice President and there were always plans to reduce the number of staff at the Aso Villa.

The presidential aide said, “The Presidency wishes to confirm that there is, on-going, an unprecedented overhaul of the nation’s seat of government, arising from which a number of political appointments have either been revoked or not renewed in the second term.”

Shehu explained that the exercise to relieve the appointees of their duties was in line with the directive of the President, adding that a number of political appointees among the few that served in President Muhammadu Buhari’s office were not returned for the second term.

According to him, the exercise aims to streamline decision-making, cut down multiple authorities and reduce the cost of running the present administration.

“The office of the Vice President, His Excellency Yemi Osinbajo has, in compliance with the directive of the President, equally been shed of a number of such appointees.

“In carrying out these exercises, the overriding objective is to save taxpayer money and deliver needed service to the public,” the presidential aide added.

He, however, denied reports of a rift between the President and the Vice President, stressing that the exercise was not targeted to undermine Professor Osinbajo’s office.

Read the full statement below:

BUHARI, OSINBAJO WILL, TOGETHER, SCRIPT A GLORIOUS FUTURE FOR NIGERIA

The Presidency wishes to confirm that there is, on-going, an unprecedented overhaul of the nation’s seat of government, arising from which a number of political appointments have either been revoked or not renewed in the Second Term.

The exercise, which has been ordered by the President, is to streamline decision-making, cut down multiple authorities and reduce the cost of administration.

It is also an appropriate response to the general perception that the Presidency has an oversized and bloated workforce which acts as a drag on efficiency.

As may have been noticed by discerning members of the public, a number of political appointees among the few that served in the office of the President were not returned for the Second Term.

The office of the Vice President, His Excellency Yemi Osinbajo has, in compliance with the directive of the President, equally been shed of a number of such appointees.

In carrying out these exercises, the overriding objective is to save taxpayer money and deliver needed service to the public.

As far as the President is concerned, there is no scope for an excuse for administration after getting a huge mandate to run the country for four more years.

In the light of this, the Presidency wishes to strongly deny rumours of a rift between President Muhammadu Buhari and Vice President Yemi Osinbajo.

The relationship between the two leaders remains excellent and trusting. Together, they will script a glorious future for the nation.

The media reports of a soured relationship are originating from the minds and mouths of mischief-makers, who are desperate for entertaining stories from the Aso Rock Villa with which to titillate the public.

This ulterior motive is the basis of the wrong interpretation given to the recent exercise in the Presidency.

There has been a streamlining of staff going on for a while.

The President has always had fewer staff than the Vice President, and there were always plans to reduce the number of staff at the Villa.

The streamlining was not personal or targeted to undermine the Vice President’s office, as the so-called insider sources quoted by the media appear to make it seem.

The President is in absolute control of his government.

The media should stop attributing non-existent powers to some people.

There cannot be anyone too powerful for President Buhari to control.

Garba Shehu

Senior Special Assistant to the President

(Media and Publicity)

November 8, 2019

•Text (excluding headline): Channels TV.

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