Why Abba Kyari came to Hate the Vice President, and why Kingibe & Asiwaju think they can exploit it

It is no secret that the Vice President and this top aide of the President,  who has little or no political value whatsoever, had never been agreeable especially since the Vice President asserted himself during his Acting role by firing the security chief that was the hatchet man of the aide.

The removal of that security chief created a lot of complication, because in the early part of his first tenure, the President’s aide used the DSS to execute immeasurable political and economic maneuvers  including unheard of execution  of major projects like the fertilizer blending program- under the guise of promoting food security.

It was said after the event, the Chief of Staff confronted the Vice President why he was not informed of the removal, but the then Acting President dismissed the enquiry considering it an affront on his presidential authority as the Acting President during the period.

The Chief of Staff being such a devious planner, waited patiently during the electioneering period while fighting hard behind the scene to retain his influence and position.  As soon as this was secured upon the President’s win at the polls in which he played no role, he moved speedily to work against the Vice President who was the arrowhead of the re-election campaign.

First he ensured that the selection of cabinet members and creation of ministries were anchored by his office. To this end, he campaigned vigorously to created the Humanitarian Ministry arguing that the issues regarding such affairs be separated from the Ministry of Finance and Budget which are now consolidated.

Indeed, on the back of the creation of the new Ministry, the hatchet work of the group moved to stage two which was the removal of the economic advisory and management role from the Vice President. Again, taking advantage of the prevailing reasoning that the economy needed to be managed by economists, the group recruited a veritable team of economic experts supported by thesis of international consultant firms (reportedly McKinsey) that was accepted by the President.

The matter related to the new Economic Advisory Council consumed in the politics of the day was such hot potato that the insider collaborator who is a top aide of the President, asked his team to deny any connection to the matter despite witnesses informing this stable that he indeed informed the members of the committee over the previous weekend of their new assignment while directly composing the final statement that was handed over to Presidential Spokesman, Femi Adeshina.

Indeed, no sooner had the issue of EAC constitution been conflated with disbandment of EMT, that the Chief of Staff went to the President to justify the disbandment of the Vice President’s team. This is despite the fact that  even though without EMT and SIP functions, he was now left with various constitutional roles as well as tasks that were assigned by the President.

Analysts have since raised issues with this deft move by the Chief of Staff, and concluded that he is driven by hate and personal vendetta not public interest as he makes the president believe.

Various groups who loathe the Borno Chief and his accomplice from Borno who is a former SGF and Vice Presidential Candidate, fired by President Yaradua for insubordination, are now calling for their heads when the President return. Time will tell if they will survive their own odyssey.