FLASHBACK: How Obasanjo Sacked Garba Shehu, 7 Other Atiku’s Aides In 2006

The news of the alleged sack of 35 aides of Vice President Yemi Osinbajo has continued to generate reactions.  

The sack is coming after several reports of alleged attempts to whittle down the powers of the vice president, leading to speculations that Osinbajo may have fallen out of favour with President Buhari.

Buhari, it was gathered, had approved the sack of the presidential aides attached to the office of his vice.

The Nigerian social media space has since been agog with mixed reactions since Wednesday when the news emerged that at least 35 aides in Osinbajo’s office were handed sack letters approved by President Buhari.

Some of the sacked aides were reportedly appointed by Osinbajo while acting as president during Buhari’s prolonged medical vacation in London in 2017.

The development brings to mind how during his second term in June 2006, former President Olusegun Obasanjo sacked eight aides attached to the office of his then vice president, Atiku Abubakar.

Among those Obasanjo sacked at the time was Garba Shehu, who served as a media consultant to Atiku and presently the senior special assistant on media and publicity to President Buhari.

Other Atiku’s aides sacked by Obasanjo were Natt Yaduma, Mike Kwarnassie, a special adviser and Andrew Okolie, a senior special assistant to Atiku.

Others sacked as Atiku’s special assistants were Yima Sen, Tokunbo Abiola, Dr. A. Ardo, Mr Natt Yaduma, Dr. Ajuji Ahmed and Phi Agbase.