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Before We Crucify Yemi Osinbajo…

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LEAVE OSINBAJO OUT OF THE POLITICS IN SADNESS
Before We Crucify Yemi Osinbajo…

Hysteria is in the DNA of many Nigerians, especially those who are, for parochial or partisan reasons, decidedly and desperately against the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari.

Since the president announced the dissolution of the Economic Management Team headed by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, SAN, and replaced it with an Economic Advisory Council, there has been mass hysteria in the traditional and new media.

This is apparent in the deluge of dilettante opinion articles, editorials, blog posts, blurbs and tweets all alluding to the fact that the VP has been politically emasculated by a phantom ‘cabal’ in the presidency because of his growing popularity and influence and the need to whittle them down before 2023. Some even said he has been marked for impeachment on trumped-up charges that could only have been products of a puerile imagination.

What the President simply did was to change the economic direction of his Next Level agenda; not ‘reduce’, as some also implied, the statutory functions of his beloved VP. As the chairman of the constitutionally created National Economic Council, the VP will continue to play a pivotal role in all economic matters in singular support and assistance of his Principal, Mr. President.

For emphasis, the NEC meeting, held monthly, deliberates on the coordination of the economic planning efforts and economic programmes of the various levels of government. The council comprises the 36 state governors, Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Minister of Finance, Secretary to the Government of the Federation and other government officials and agencies whose duties hinge on the economy.

Last Thursday, the VP still chaired the NEC at the Presidential Villa. Osinbajo told attendees at the NEC meeting that both councils (NEC and EAC) are for the benefit of the president; and, “If NEC wants to be briefed regularly by the Economic Advisory Council, EAC, we will request the president to do that.” So, nothing has changed, except for the new song by dissidents.

What further sent the rumour mill into overdrive was an alleged directive that the Vice-President should, henceforth, seek presidential approvals for agencies under his supervision. VP Osinbajo is the chairman of the governing boards of the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), the National Boundary Commission (NBC) and the Border Communities Development Agency (BCDA). He is also the chairman of the board of directors of the Niger Delta Power Holding Company (NDPHC), a limited liability company owned by the three tiers of government; and the National Economic Council (NEC), a constitutional body made up of state governors and key federal government officials, as well as the National Council on Privatisation (NCP).

Under the laws setting up the agencies, the president is empowered to give final approvals but those who chose to ignore this constitutional provision went to town, gloating and ululating, that the VP has eventually been cut to size. A careful introspection is critical here. Apart from the fact that he is a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, the Vice President, as the whole world knows, is a Professor of Law. So, if anybody should know what the constitution stipulates as the roles and powers of a VP, it is Osinbajo.

So, why would he want to overreach himself knowing what the constitution states? At what point does doing the right thing require a directive? Some things just don’t add up in the name of playing politics.
Late 2018, the House of Representatives Committee on Emergency and Disaster Preparedness invited the VP to explain his role in the N5.8 billion North East Intervention Fund which the lawmakers said was mismanaged by the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA).

The NEMA is one of the agencies under the VP. The committee said the authorisation for the release of the fund for emergency food intervention in the North East contravened Section 80(4) of the 1999 Constitution as amended. And that the funds were credited directly to the individual banks of the companies and NEMA’s bank account, in violation of the approval limit allowed by law.

Nowhere in the report was the VP alleged to have benefitted from the fund. Good enough, the Presidency issued a public statement to say that the money Osinbajo, in his capacity as the Acting President, approved for release in the dire emergency was sourced from the Rice Levy which had already been appropriated in that year’s budget. And that explanation settled the matter.

However, in the desperation of the strident opposition, the allegation, which had since been dispelled by the House Committee, is now being unearthed as if it were new, in a mere political contrivance intended to distract the President Buhari-led administration.

Every discerning mind should be above this outright fake news and sheer inanity. Just as they should about rumours that some unspecified amount of money was found in some private accounts related to the VP’s family or that some Federal Inland Revenue Services, FIRS, funds were traced to his office. The purveyors of this particular rumour even said that the National Leader of the All Progressives’ Congress, APC, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu and a former National Chairman of the party, Chief BisiAkande, had been duly informed. Another such report maintained that Asiwaju himself is behind the attempt to smear the VP.

These are mere fabrications intended to drive a wedge between the VP and those he holds in very high esteem. Thankfully, the president and the party leaders are above such frivolous distractions.

Indeed, at no time since Nigeria’s democratic experience began that the President and his VP have enjoyed the kind of cordial relationship and mutual respect that exist between President Buhari and VP Osinbajo. The president believes so much in the competence, character and capacity of his VP that he allows him to handle some of the populist programmes of the administration. And, this has not been without politically-motivated hiccups.

The VP is the ‘face’ of TraderMoni, the empowerment scheme of the Federal Government created specifically for petty traders and artisans across Nigeria. The launch of the scheme saw the VP crisscrossing the country, enlightening the people about it and generally pressing the flesh to the delight of Nigerians. Yet, those who do not know the workings of the scheme have gone to town, falsely accusing the VP of mismanaging the Tradermoni Funds.

Instructively, the Bank of Industry is in charge of the Tradermoni; the funds never get into the hands of the VP or his aides; the money is sent to the people via their phones. The VP has just been monitoring to make sure people received what they were promised and the program was working. So any imputation of embezzlement is nothing but a frantic attempt to soil a hard-earned reputation of loyalty, integrity and capability which the VP has built in the last four years, and which has helped to steady the incumbent administration in no small measure.

Conclusively, the news and noise of a rift or whittling down of the VP’s powers is akin to a storm in a teacup; both the president and the Vice President are still working in tandem to ensure that Nigerians are genuinely taken to the Next Level in their own time.

Sahara weekly online is published by First Sahara weekly international. contact saharaweekly@yahoo.com

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Peter Obi Breaks Silence on Rome Visit Amid Smears and Propaganda Storm

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Peter Obi Breaks Silence on Rome Visit Amid Smears and Propaganda Storm

Presidential hopeful and former Anambra State Governor, Mr. Peter Obi, has calmly addressed a wave of politically charged misinformation following his recent visit to the Vatican, where he attended an inauguration ceremony. The backlash, largely fanned by known government allies Femi Fani-Kayode, Reno Omokri, and Omoyele Sowore, misrepresented the nature of his visit and falsely accused him of refusing to “pay homage” to the Pope until a supposed presidential intervention.

Peter Obi Breaks Silence on Rome Visit Amid Smears and Propaganda Storm

Contrary to the sensational headlines, Mr. Obi clarified that he did not meet the Pope, nor was such a meeting on his agenda. “I bought my own ticket and traveled for what I believe is a personal, non-political trip,” he told a close confidant in Abuja before departing. Emphasizing his commitment to modesty, Obi disclosed that he flew economy class, adding, “It’s the difference between business class and economy that I use for donations to build classrooms.”

Obi’s visit to Rome mirrored his past trips to the Vatican, including the 2013 inauguration of Pope Francis. A Papal Knight and longstanding Catholic faithful, Mr. Obi is no stranger to such events. This time, he traveled alongside former Ekiti State Governor Dr. Kayode Fayemi, both of whom held official passes granting them VIP access. They also paid a visit to Cardinal Francis Arinze, a 90-year-old Nigerian cleric and longtime Vatican figure — an act Obi has made a tradition of during such visits.

The criticisms have drawn widespread rebuke, with many questioning why a man known for self-funding his travels and donating millions to health and education continues to face political smears, while those squandering public funds remain unchallenged. Obi’s quiet return to Nigeria was followed, as usual, by school and hospital visits — the kind of grassroots outreach that has cemented his reputation as a man of service, not spectacle.

As misinformation continues to plague Nigeria’s political discourse, observers are calling for a return to truth and substance. “Enough of the lies. Enough of the propaganda. The truth has no tribe,” said a supporter who met with Obi before his Rome trip.

In an era of performative politics, Obi’s response has once again underscored his consistent message: humility, service, and transparency over noise.

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Casssahaaat!” – Davido Sparks Frenzy After Flaunting Mysterious Multi-Million Dollar Paycheck

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Casssahaaat!” – Davido Sparks Frenzy After Flaunting Mysterious Multi-Million Dollar Paycheck

Afrobeats sensation Davido has set social media ablaze once again after teasing fans with a cryptic Instagram post flaunting a massive paycheck — but keeping the final figure under wraps. In the now-viral post, the superstar shared an image revealing just “$11” followed by a string of blurred-out zeros, captioned simply with his signature exclamation, “Casssahaaat!”, and laughing emojis.

Casssahaaat!” – Davido Sparks Frenzy After Flaunting Mysterious Multi-Million Dollar Paycheck

The post has sparked a wave of speculation and banter online, with fans and critics alike attempting to decode the real figure behind the blurred digits. Many believe the paycheck is a staggering $11 million, roughly ₦1.7 billion, though Davido has yet to confirm.

This latest flex follows backlash the singer received for flaunting his $500,000 diamond-studded teeth and $2 million necklace, fueling debates around extravagance and humility. But Davido, never shy to stir the pot, appears unfazed by the criticism.

Fans flooded the comment section with mixed reactions. One user, Rich Hommie_yslimm, joked, “Make I show my account balance na radio station?” while Victor Timilehin quipped, “Fatherless children will soon start crying.” Another fan, Akass Onah, threw shade with, “30BG but we ain’t sure the amount, that might be 11k dozz,” and Ayomitunde Adeleke chimed in, “Now I know why they call me the broke Adeleke.”

As usual, Davido remains a master of both music and mystery — leaving fans guessing, critics grumbling, and the internet buzzing.

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From the Pulpit to the Tarmac: Televangelist Timothy Omotoso Deported After 8-Year Legal Battle

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“Unwelcome Return: South Africa Deports Televangelist Timothy Omotoso After Acquittal

 

JOHANNESBURG — Controversial Nigerian televangelist Timothy Omotoso has been deported from South Africa after being declared an undesirable person by the Department of Home Affairs, just weeks after his dramatic acquittal on high-profile criminal charges.

Omotoso was officially deported on May 18, 2025, with viral footage showing him being escorted by South African police and Home Affairs officials as he boarded a flight back to Nigeria at OR Tambo International Airport.

The founder of Jesus Dominion International was acquitted in April of 32 charges, including rape, human trafficking, and racketeering — allegations that had kept him behind bars for nearly eight years following his arrest in 2017. His case gripped the South African public and drew widespread international media coverage, particularly due to the graphic nature of the testimonies and repeated delays in the judicial process.

From the Pulpit to the Tarmac: Televangelist Timothy Omotoso Deported After 8-Year Legal Battle

While Omotoso walked free from the courtroom last month, his legal vindication did not spare him from expulsion. According to the South African Department of Home Affairs, his presence in the country was no longer considered welcome, prompting immediate deportation proceedings.

“Mr. Timothy Omotoso has been declared an undesirable person under the Immigration Act. He was removed from the Republic on May 18, 2025,” the department confirmed in a brief statement.

The deportation has reignited debate around South Africa’s immigration and justice systems. Critics argue that Omotoso’s lengthy pretrial detention and eventual acquittal reflect deep flaws in the country’s legal machinery. Others insist his removal was necessary to preserve public trust and prevent further division.

Omotoso’s defense team, meanwhile, has decried the move as politically motivated and unjust, suggesting the televangelist is being punished despite his acquittal.

“This is not just deportation. It’s an attempt to erase a man who was never proven guilty in a court of law,” a source close to Omotoso’s ministry told reporters.

Since his return to Nigeria, Omotoso has remained out of the public eye, with no official statement yet from his church or legal representatives. Whether he will attempt to continue his religious mission from his home country — or mount a legal challenge to his deportation — remains to be seen.

His case, marked by emotional testimony, legal wrangling, and now, forced removal, is likely to be remembered as one of the most polarizing chapters in South Africa’s recent legal history.

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