THE BUHARI/OSINBAJO TOWERING EXAMPLE

Alot has been said and a lot has happened too to our democracy and the rule of law since President Muhammadu Buhari assumed the mantle of leadership on May 29, 2015. In truth, some of his policies and tactics especially in the fight against corruption have alarmed staunch believers in democracy and the rule of law and this writer has been alarmed on many an occasion.

However, in spite of the many shadows that stalked the president during his vacation overseas until his return on March 10, 2017,the vacation provided an unlikely window into the president`s avowed transmogrification from a military man to a democrat at heart. It had to do with the fact that for the second time he was going on vacation, he transmitted his powers to his Vice-President, Professor Yemi Osinbajo to hold forte for him while he was away. President Buhari`s staunchest critics would easily say that he did nothing more than complying with a constitutional prescript which would pale in comparison to the myriad times the rule of law has been shoved aside under his watch. Yet that act of transmitting a letter to the National Assembly shines brilliantly given the unsavoury experiences of many Nigerians . It betrays the fact that the two men enjoy mutual respect for each other and maintain a healthy working relationship. Now that the president is back, he has allowed the vice-president to continue to act for him citing his need and desire for more rest.

Ordinarily, this should pale into insignificance in the face of the multitude of challenges confronting the country and the mostly unbridled zeal of the executive to whip the country into line but in a country where rancour at worst and mutual suspicion at best usually lace the relationship between presidents and their vice and governors and their deputies, Buhari and Osibanjo stand out in this wise.

Former President, Goodluck Jonathan undoubtedly enjoyed a good working relationship with his vice-president, Namadi Sambo, a man of profound humility. But between Olusegun Obasanjo and Atiku Abubakar and more subtly between the late Umaru Yar’Adua and Gooodluck Jonathan, there was no love lost and ambitions played greatly disconcerting roles. In many states too, governors usually end up falling apart with their deputies.

In the service of the people, there should be no struggles over the pettiness of power capable of straining relationships irreparably. The Buhari/ Osibanjo model provides a towering example. Kenechukwu Obiezu, Abuja