The official spokesman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) 2023 Campiagn Organization, Festus Keyamo has faulted the governor of Delta State, Ifeanyi Okowa, stating that Tinubu, presidential candidate of APC can assign Shettima vice-presidential candidate of APC to be in charge of security if they are both elected.
Newsonline reports that Keyamo, Minister of State for Labour and Employment stated in reaction to Okowa’s statement that it will be absurd if Shettima takes over the security of the country, a position reserved for the president.
Recall that Kashim Shettima had last week on Monday at the Nigeria Bar Association (NBA) Annual General Conference said Tinubu would be in charge of the economy while he would be in charge of the security of the country.
Shettima’s position raised so many questions from Nigerians challenging if Shettima was aware security issues are to be handled by the president of the country exclusively.
In an interview with Trust TV, Okowa, vice-presidential candidate to Atiku Abubakar, the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) 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 asked.
Okowa added, “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.”
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Reacting to Okowa’s statement, Keyamo in a three-point argument stated that Tinubu if he becomes president can assign Shettima to be in charge of security in accordance with the 1999 constitution of Nigeria.
Keyamo argued, “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.
“It is possible, your Excellency, that in the well-known forward-thinking nature of Bola Tinubu, possible assignment of some responsibilities in this regard has been discussed with his VP-to-be and H.E Shettima just can’t wait to hit the ground running. This is not absurd, sir.
3. 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 OBJ since he wasn’t in a position to make any final decision.”
