By Danlami Nmodu
(Re-issued) A fresh row has trailed the decision by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo to waive his constitutional immunity and launch ”the most robust adjudication” to clear his name. Osinbajo announced the move following allegations leveled against him by former All Progressives Congress, APC deputy Spokesman, Timi Frank.
Newsdiaryonline reports that some commentators have argued that the immunity belongs to the Office of the Vice President and cannot be waived since it is not personal .
Others have been canvassing that the Vice President should simply resign from office in order to enable him tackle Frank and possibly others in court.
Frank claimed that a N90bn election fund allegedly contributed by FIRS was behind Osinbajo’s travails in the Presidency. FIRS has debunked the claim with a strong threat to sue Frank.
Osinbajo, SAN has on his part declared his readiness to waive his constitutional immunity to “enable the most robust adjudication” of several baseless allegations, insinuation and falsehoods against his person and office.
According to a statement by his media aide Laolu Akade, the Vice President made this declaration in a tweet he personally authored this afternoon.
Below is the full text of his tweet:
“In the past few days, a spate of reckless and malicious falsehoods have been peddled in the media against me by a group of malicious individuals.
“The defamatory and misleading assertions invented by this clique had mostly been making the social media rounds anonymously.
“I have today instructed the commencement of legal action against two individuals, one Timi Frank and another Katch Ononuju, who have put their names to these odious falsehoods.
“I will waive my constitutional immunity to enable the most robust adjudication of these claims of libel and malicious falsehood.”
Newsdiaryonline recalls that speculations over Osinbajo’s fate reached fever pitch following the appointment of a new Economic Advisory Council,EAC by President Muhammadu Buhari to replace the Economic Management Team,EMT hitherto under the Vice President’s leadership.Some agencies under the VP’s watch were also directed to report to the President.
(This story earlier published Thursday Sept 26,2019 was reissued today Friday Sep 27,2019 as we lost the previous copy along with other stories following the crash of our website due to unusual traffic and server glitches)
