It is not for the Presidential or Vice Presidential candidate of the PDP to tell Asiwaju Tinubu or Shettima how to run their Government or try to lecture them on what is and what is not constitutional
By Femi Fani-Kayode
Governor Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta state who is the Vice Presidential candidate of the PDP, ought to know that when Senator Kashim Shettima said he, as Vice President, would take charge of security whilst Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, as President, would focus on the economy, he did not in any way mean or suggest that he would usurp the constitutional functions and duties of the incoming President and Commander-in-Chief.
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 Governor Okowa, who is ordinarily a level-headed, cerebal, decent, restrained and well-exposed man and who I have always had immense respect for, would consider this to be “unconstitutional” or “absurd”.
The truth is that it is perfectly constitutional and legitimate and it is in fact common practice when it comes to our system of Government.
Permit me to share a precedent.
When the presidential candidate of the PDP Atiku Abubakar and Okowa’s senior partner was Vice President during the first term of President Olusegun Obasanjo’s Government between 1999 and 2003, 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, legality 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 Senator Shettima is unequivocal, unquestionable and unimpeachable.
It is more than enough to warrant assignning any role that he deems fit to him, including security.
For the record, it is not for the Presidential or Vice Presidential candidate of the PDP to tell Asiwaju Tinubu 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 raging 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.
That should be Governor Okowa’s focus and not what role Senator Kashim Shettima will play when, by God’s grace, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu and he are elected President and Vice President respectively.
• Fani-Kayode is a politician and former Aviation Minister.