Minister says controversy over Buhari’s letter to Senate is a distraction

chika ebuzor

May 11, 2017 7:53 AM

Buhari, in a letter to the Senate, said Osinbajo will coordinate the activities of government in his absence.

Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed.

The Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed has described the controversy over President Buhari’s letter to the Senate as a distraction.

The President, in a letter informing the Senate of his medical trip, said Yemi Osinbajo will coordinate the activities of government in his absence.

The use of the word ‘coordinate’ however caused a stir in some quarters and among many social media commentators.

According to ThisDay, the minister said what matters most is the operative phrase used in the letter - in compliance with Section 145 (1) of the 1999 Constitution.

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Mohammed also said “I think it is a needless controversy and just a distraction. The operative sentence is ‘in compliance with Section 145 Subsection 1.’ So, any other word is irrelevant,” Daily Post reports.

The Nigerian Senate has however declared that since the constitution did not spell out any role for a coordinator, Osinbajo will act as the President till Buhari returns.

chika ebuzor