Former Aviation Minister and chieftain of the All Progressives Congress(APC),Femi Fani-Kayode has admonished the People’s Democratic Party(PDP) Presidential Runningmate, governor Ifeanyin Okowa to think more on how to resolve the simmering crises in PDP rather than dabbling in the affairs of the ruling .
Fani-Kayode was reacting to the statement credited to the Delta State governor where he alleged that Senator Kashim Shettima s planned to usurp the constitutional functions and duties of the incoming President and Commander-in-Chief when he(Shettima) said as Vice President, he would take charge of security whilst Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, as President, would focus on the economy,
Clarifying Shettima’s position ,Fani-Kayode said “what he meant was that he would be assigned that role and duty by the President and that he has the inherent experience and knowledge to handle such an assignment with courage and strength due to the vast experience he has gained over the years when facing the challenge of Boko Haram whilst he was Governor of Borno state.
“It amazes me that Gov. Okowa, who is ordinarily a level-headed, cerebal, decent and well-exposed man and who I have always had immense respect for, would consider this to be “unconstitutional” or “absurd”.
It is perfectly constitutional and legitimate and it is in fact common practice when it comes to our system of Government.
“For the record, it is not for the Presidential or Vice Presidential candidate of the PDP to tell BAT or Shettima how to run their Government or try to lecture them on what is and what is not constitutional.
They should stay in their lane, mind their business and instead concentrate on attempting to fix the degenerating and worsening rancour, rift and civil war that is tearing their party apart and preparing for what will be the mother of all electoral struggles and presidential campaigns for next years election.
He said “That should be Gov. Okowa’s focus and not what role Senator Kashim Shettima will play when, by God’s grace, he is elected Vice President.
“Permit me to share a precedent. When the presidential candidate of the PDP Atiku Abubakar was Vice President during the first term of President Olusegun Obasanjo’s Government between 1999 and 2003, total control over the running and restoration of the economy was assigned to him by OBJ whilst the President himself focused on foreign affairs and international relations.
“This did not mean that OBJ was no longer the Commander-in-Chief or in charge of the country but rather that he had enough faith and confidence in his number two to do a good job in that sector and consequently he assigned it to him to handle and report back to him as President.
No-one complained about this arrangement at the time and neither did anyone question its constitutionality or legitimacy.
“The President is the Commander-in-Chief but he has the inherent powers, right, obligation and duty to assign whatever role or sector he deems fit to his Vice to preside over at any point in time. If it is security or anything else then so be it.
“All is at the discretion of the incoming President and it is clear that the trust and respect that he has for Sen. Shettima is unequivocal, unquestionable and unimpeachable and more than enough to warrant assignning any role he deems fit to him, including security.”Fani-Kayode posited.