by Alexander O. Onukwue

President Muhammadu Buhari will soon be in the country, according to Prof Osinbajo, the Acting President.

The Prof did not specifically mention the time it would take for Buhari to make a comeback from his over two-month absence. Depending on how “soon” is, his imminent return will mean there will be a good number of briefings that will happen in the Villa, first from the Acting President, and all other agencies who report to the President.

The Acting President: The 2017 Budget and other matters

It’s been exactly one month since the 2017 Budget was signed into law by Prof Osinbajo, after extended negotiations with the National Assembly over certain matters. In the intervening period, there have been issues arising from the Executive and Legislature on the question of alterations in the Budget, especially from the Federal Minister of Power, Works and Housing, Babatunde Fashola. The former Lagos Governor has stated that he is not in any feud with the National Assembly, but all of that will have to be clarified further when Buhari returns.

Of course, Osinbajo’s panel on the investigations into Babachir Lawal and Ayo Oke will have to present their report.

Bukola Saraki: Marafa and other matters

While Buhari has been away, Saraki has been vindicated by the Code of Conduct Tribunal on the Federal Government’s charges against him on corruption. After the incident of July the 4th, there was the story that the Senate President, Bukola Saraki, had reached out to Acting President Osinbajo to make it clear that he had no hand in the motion that aimed to displace him while he was in Addis Ababa. We can only assume that Dr Saraki and President Buhari will have A LOT to chew over.

Kemi Adeosun: Economic Recovery and other matters

Are we out of the recession yet? Figures from the second quarter which ended in June have not been released, and the return of the President (supposedly within the coming weeks) would coincide well with the release of the performance indices of the economy. Ms Adeosun, as well as Minister for Budget and National Planning, Udo Udoma, will need to tell the President and Nigerians if the ERGP is moving forward; she has already said the country cannot borrow more to fund the economy.

Adamu Adamu: IRK/CRK, Education Emergency, and many other matters
May be there will actually be no housekeeping report here. If a state of emergency is to be declared in the Education sector, the President may want to put out an advertisement for a more capable hand for the Ministry.

Editor