Politics
Security Role In Tinubu’s Possible Govt: Keyamo Backs Shettima, Counters Okowa
The spokesperson for the Bola Tinubu presidential campaign organization, Festus Keyamo has replied the Delta State Governor and vice presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Ifeanyi Okowa over his recent statement kicking against Kashim Shettima’s speech on security at the NBA conference in Lagos.
Keyamo while speaking in defence of Shettima said that the Nigerian constitution allows the Vice President of the country to take charge of security.
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Recall that Okowa on Wednesday tackled his All Progressives Congress (APC) counterpart, Kashim Shettima, after the later said that he will be in charge of the country’s security if the APC gets elected into power in 2023.
Shettima while speaking at the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) conference in Lagos said if the All Progressives Congress (APC) wins the 2023 election, he would take charge of security while his principal, Bola Tinubu would focus on the economy.
Reacting to the statement, Okowa noted that it was absurd for a vice president to discharge the duties of the commander-in-chief when the president is still active.
He said: “I don’t want to talk about their policies. If the vice-president will take charge of security, is he (the president) not going to preside over the security council at the federal level?
“I don’t understand that. Because there is a commander-in-chief. Is there a reversal in position?”
“He can offer advice. But I’ll find it absurd that he speaks about: ‘I’ll take charge of it’. Possibly they have agreed that he’s to be the commander-in-chief.”
Reacting to Okowa, Keyamo via his verified Twitter handle disagreed saying:
“I respectfully disagree, your Excellency. Under the 1999 Constitution, the President may assign any responsibility within his purview to either his VP or Ministers,” Keyamo wrote.
“This may include some aspects of security issues too. That is why, for instance, you have a Minister of Defence.
“It is possible, your Excellency, that in the well-known forward-thinking nature of Bola Tinubu, possible assignment of some responsibilities in this regard have been discussed with his VP-to-be & H.E Shettima just can’t wait to hit the ground running. This is not absurd, sir.
“When H.E Shettima says ‘taking charge’, it’s in the context of discharging responsibilities assigned to him by Bola Tinubu.
“But he will report back to his boss just as your principal Atiku Abubakar was reporting to Obasanjo since he wasn’t in a position to make any final decision.”
1. I respectfully disagree, your Excellency. Under the 1999 Constitution, the President may assign ANY RESPONSIBILITY within his purview to either his VP or Ministers. This may include some aspects of security issues too. That is why, for instance, you have a Minister of Defence. https://t.co/SLzvjbg8jv
— Festus Keyamo, SAN (@fkeyamo) August 31, 2022
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