IT’S been more than one month now since Vice President, Yemi Osinbajo, assumed the status of Acting President. Even when this is not the first time he would be holding forth for the president, it is the first time he would be doing it for this long. Except in an actual state of incapacitation it is doubtful if anyone could envisage a situation like this when the president would be away from office for over a month without being declared ill or incapacitated. But by embarking on a medical vacation which has been indefinitely extended on the advice , Nigerians have been told, of his British doctors President Buhari has afforded his deputy an opportunity to demonstrate what he could do if given the chance. Before now, Osinbajo had operated in the shadows of President Muhammadu Buhari. This is the way things should be as the presidential system of government is a monarchy of sorts that does not leave room for two heads.

Is it not enough that the president is away on a medical vacation that could be costing the country so much in scarce foreign exchange even when we are being told that nothing is wrong with him?

THE pocket of protests organised across a couple of places by civil society organisations have since come and gone. The protests, of modest outcome, were to show the disenchantment of Nigerians against rising costs of goods and services and the generally poor economic policies of the Mohammadu Buhari administration.

A responsible government may in this situation in which we have found ourselves pay attention to the narratives coming from its supporters and critics

BY the time you’re reading this the planned anti- and pro-Buhari protests would (might?) have come and gone. While the anti-Buhari protesters were the first to announce their intention to protest against the rising cost of living and the generally dolorous atmosphere that has pervaded governance since the emergence of Muhammadu Buhari as president, the pro-Buhari demonstrators were out to celebrate what they obviously consider the achievements of the Buhari administration. The protesters have not articulated their mission in such clear terms but it was clear towards what direction their protest was geared. Clearly, their plan is largely reactive and meant to counter the narrative of failure, ineptitude and insensitivity that is being levelled by an increasing number of Nigerians against the government.