Buhari Speaks On Actions Taken Against Osinbajo’s Office

President Muhammadu Buhari says steps taken at the presidency were not targeted at his deputy, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo but part of ongoing reorganization at the presidency aimed at enhancing service delivery to Nigerians.

Presidential spokesman, Shehu Garba, quoted Buhari in a statement on Saturday as saying that recent disengagement of some political appointees from the presidency had been unfortunately given ‘‘ethnic and political’’ interpretations.

Buhari’s sack of some aide of Osinbajo is being view as further confirmation of the speculated crack between the two leaders.

But Buhari, while fielding questions from State House Correspondents at the Presidential Wing of Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, shortly after his arrival from London on Friday night, said it is unfortunate that people are giving ethnic and political interpretation to the sack of the VP’s aides.

‘‘They said 35 people were sacked in the Vice President’s office. We just created some ministries and we reorganized and people are giving it ethnic and political dimensions. It is unfortunate,’’ he said.

Responding to a question on what next for his administration after a well deserved rest in London, the President said: ‘‘We are going to work harder and be accountable. We have tried to make Nigerians understand why we do certain things. Accountability from bottom to top is absolutely necessary.

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‘‘Whoever is responsible for government property, [should know] it is public property, it is not personal and he has to manage it according to the law.

‘‘That’s what I expect and I think that we have been around long enough to impress on people that we mean what we say,’’ he said.