Posted by By FRANCIS AWOWOLE-BROWNE, Abuja on
Against the backdrop of declaration and subsequent denial by the Presidency that Alhaji Atiku Abubakar's position was vacant, the latter, currently on holiday in the United States, has described the sudden change of government's position as a mark of weariness of a confused team.
Against the backdrop of declaration and subsequent denial by the Presidency that Alhaji Atiku Abubakar's position was vacant, the latter, currently on holiday in the United States, has described the sudden change of government's position as a mark of weariness of a confused team.
It would be recalled that Presidential aide, Uba Sani had quoted the Federal Government as having declared the Vice-President's seat vacant following the defection of Alhaji Atiku to the Action Congress and his eventual adoption as the party's presidential flagbearer.
But on Wednesday, the Presidency capitulated with the Political Adviser to President Olusegun Obasanjo, Chief Akin Osuntokun appearing on a national television and saying that the seat was never declared vacant and blamed the media for the misinterpretation of the government's intention.
According to him, what the Presidency did was to write the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the National Assembly, intimating them of the move to approach the court to declare the seat vacant.
However, Atiku's spokesman, Mallam Garba Shehu said in Abuja that the Vice President was not surprised at the sudden change of stand of the Presidency over the purported declaration of the VP's seat as vacant.
Said he: "From the look of things, their uncoordinated acts suggest that they are confused and divided, and therefore have to change their tactics."
Shehu told Daily Sun that the simple interpretation of the reading of the situation is that the Presidency probably must have realised its folly over some of the steps taken so far.
He explained that as a democrat, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar would continue to rely on the courts to fight his battles and would continue to win as he has been winning.
Amidst rumour that Atiku might not return to the country because of fear of possible arrest, Mallam Shehu debunked the insinuations, saying his principal would soon be back to face his presidential campaign.
"The VP will be back as soon as he finishes his vacation," he said.