by Ahanonu Kingsley

The recent transmission of letter by President Muhammadu Buhari that necessitated his travel back to the U.K. for followup medication has been seen to generate controversy, albeit unnecessarily. In that letter Buhari had written the Senate that his vice, Prof Osinbajo would ‘coordinate the affairs of state.’

It was something Pesident Muhammadu Buhari (PMB)did out of constitutional demand. But unbeknownst to the president, who left almost immediately the letter was written, he had left behind an open fjord for mischief makers to make issues out of. The question went from if he had not done the transmission to focus (and if I may say fiddling), on the appropriateness of the choice of words of Mr Buhari.

The burden of leadership, which has seen Buhari often times open to gritting censures,oftentimes unwarranted, has seen his traducers finding the need to become interpreters of the English word selfishly just to suit their mischief.

However, I ask what’s weakness of the term ‘coordinate’ and what’s wrong with its usage and in this case? Or even when the actual president is around? Habaa. Can we channel our strength rather on constructive, genuine criticisms, if we must do it?

It is my opinion that we are again drawn to unnecessaries, of making a mountain out of something that shouldn’t be issue at all, by our rather unconcionable focus on this. It has become disheartening the overt concentration on what has become a ceaseless stalking on this present administration of Buhari just to find fault; and when it seems none is forthcoming, a crazy manufacture becomes handy.

But what would have happened if Mr President hadn’t transmitted this letter? We could just now imagine how the propaganda would have gone? But thanks that Mr President did, anyways.

However, I opine that whatever term or construction that was used in the letter transmitted by President Buhari to the Senate does not in anyway negate the import and essence of section 145 of the 1999 constitution. That’s is to say it is not the president nor his wordings that confers on the vice president an acting capacity.

Even if the president has written, let’s say thus: “I write to inform that I will be leaving for a medical follow up and to return as would be advised by my doctors.” and sent it to the Senate, that suffice, constitutionally. Thus, it is that, according to Section 145 (1)of the 1999 Constitution of the Federation (as amended), by the mere act of transmitting the letter as required, the VP, automatically becomes the Ag President.

It is pathetic the furrow a harmless word from a harmless intent has generated out of what has appeared the flying will to demonize and vilify. The merchants of discord,do they not think that one has right to choices of words or do they want him to monotonous in writing?

Let’s give the duo of Buhari and Osinbajo the benefit of being the most cordial mates in Nigeria’s most recent history of presidency. The man has been doing the needful as regards conferring power on the vice as demanded of him when not around.

History has it of how bad we’ve had series of mistaken trust and of cabals holding rampage in power vacancies, against constitutional sanity. We knew how Aikhomu, Atiku and Jonathan were treated as VPs, in the eras of their principals (Babangida, Obasanjo and Late Yar’adua, respectively)-especially when it came to the issue of the transmission of power.

Now that we have, in the Buhari-Osinbajo administration, seen the needed collaboration in leadership that, firstly, instills confidence in governance. Why not we appreciate it? Why not we rather pray that God grant PMB quick recovery!

Op–ed pieces and contributions are the opinions of the writers only and do not represent the opinions of Y!/YNaija

Ahanonu Kingsley writes from Owerri.
He tweets@kings_emz