More details are now emerging about the purported exclusion of the Vice President from some National Security Council meetings held so far, days after the presidency formally denied the false speculations describing them as “the creation of someone who just wanted to write something”.
Informed presidency sources said the Vice President, Yemi Osinbajo was actually informed and invited to the meeting by the President himself, and that due to other pressing engagements and commitments of the presidency, the VP had to be present at other events, including a foreign trip to Sudan.
According to sources, “there was no way the Vice President would be excluded from a meeting for which it was the President himself that told him about it and requested him to attend in line with the law of the land, but as things turn out there were other events requiring the attention of at least the President or the Vice President at the same time.”
Some of the media outlets that reported and republished the false story includes naij.com, dailypost.ng and a foreign paper, International Business Times.
No major Nigerian or international media organization published the story
Sources close to Mr. Osinbajo said they believe some outgoing political appointees of the PDP administration still in the presidency were responsible for planting the falsehood in the media in order to cause disaffection among the Nigerian people, hoping to spur an early crisis for the new Buhari presidency.
Citing legal and constitutional basis of the issue, one inside source in the presidency also explained that the Third Schedule, Part 1 of the Nigerian Constitution was very clear as to the membership of the Security Council and the Defence Council.
In both federal bodies, the President is the Chairman of the Councils while the Vice President is stipulated as Deputy Chairman who presides over the meetings in the President’s absence.
Indeed the Nigerian Constitution clearly stipulates the functions and membership of both the National Security Council and the National Defence Council.
WHAT THE CONSTITUTION SAYS
“Third Schedule Part I Federal Executive Bodies
(Established by Section 153)
G – National Defence Council
16. The National Defence Council shall comprise the following members –
(a) the President who shall be the Chairman;
(b) the Vice-President who shall be the Deputy Chairman;
(c) the Minister of the Government of the Federation responsible for defence;
(d) the Chief of Defence Staff;
(e) the Chief of Army Staff;
(f) the Chief of Naval Staff;
(g) the Chief of Air Staff; and
(h) such other members as the President may appoint.
17. The Council shall have power to advise the President on matters relating to the defence of the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Nigeria.
K – National Security Council
25. The National Security Council shall comprise the following members –
(a) the President who shall be the Chairman;
(b) the Vice-President who shall be the Deputy Chairman;
(c) the Chief of Defence Staff;
(d) the Minister of the Government of the Federation charged with the responsibility for internal affairs.
(e) the Minister of the Government of the Federation charged responsibility for defence;
(f) the Minister of the Government of the Federation charged with the responsibility for foreign affairs;
(g) the National Security Adviser
(h) the Inspector-General of Police; and
(i) such other persons as the President may in his discretion appoint.
26. The Council shall have power to advise the President on matters relating to public security including matters relating to any organisation or agency established by law for ensuring the security of the Federation.”
In his dismissal of the story, Presidential Spokesman, Garba Shehu, said Saturday, “that is the creation of someone who just wanted to write something. It was on the same day he travelled to Sudan to represent the President, the government and the people of Nigeria at the inauguration of the president of that country”. Mr. Shehu spoke while speaking to Sahara TV.
“He couldn’t have been present in two places at the same time. Osinbajo is the Vice-President of Nigeria. In the absence of the President, he is the President. So, there cannot be dark corners into which he will not be allowed. It is not true,” he added.
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