Report Reveals How Osinbajo Introduced 'family Chat' Into Nigeria's Political Lexicon
- In this political season, the Family Chat series is missing, as it was present especially in the 2019 campaigns.
- The series is an initiative of the vice president’s office to interact directly with Nigerians in their homes, was a prominent feature.
- Political watchers say the visits cannot be termed political because some of them came way after the 2019 general elections
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FCT, Abuja - A report has revealed how Vice President Professor Yemi Osinbajo, SAN, popularised family and home visits during campaigns.
According to the report, he also conducted the visits even as a means of engaging the people off political seasons.
Source: Twitter
The initiative by the vice president is unprecedented in the history of the number 2 citizen's office, as Osinbajo paid more private visits to the homes of common Nigerians, listening to their challenges and sharing in their excitement with no political inclinations.
Public affairs commentator say the Family Chat series will go down in history as one government initiative that endeared a political office holder to the average Nigerian.
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Sources in the vice president's office say the Family Chat series was Prof. Osinbajo’s own way of relating with Nigerians regardless of class, social status and religious or political affiliations.
In the build up to the 2019 elections, the vice president interacted with many Nigerians, on the streets, the markets and other public places and right in their homes.
Although some critics referred to his interactions with the average Nigerians as political as some of the visits coincided with the electioneering activities, many of the visits were off political season.
On May 11, 2019, Prof. Osinbajo was in Bauchi and made a surprise stop at the residence on Muhammed Musa Usman, in continuation of the Family Chat series.
He had earlier visited the families of PA Olajide Olabode in Ondo state on May 7 and Mrs Esther Chika in Anambra on May 3.
On July 12, 2019, it was the turn of the family of Harriet Azurundu, Mary James and Jennifer Angese, all in Delta state when the VP visited the state for an official visit.
Similarly, on August 2, 2019, the vice president, on the sideline of his state visit to Ebonyi, visited the family of Emelda Oyeike also in continuation of the Family Chat series.
On August 26, 2019, the vice president visited the families of Esther Bernard Ugweze and Alhaji Haji Tudu in Nasarawa state, in continuation of the Family Chat series.
In the month of September, the VP visited families across the country starting with a visit to the family of Mr Umar Marshal in Kano on September 3.
A couple of days later on September 9, the VP was in Yola, Adamawa state where he visited Mohammed Jafar Adamu, still under the Family Chat series.
On September 12, 2019, in Bayan Kara, Birnin Kebbi, Prof. Osinbajo visited the family of Abubakar Bunza in continuation of his Family Chat series. The VP visited Bunza’s family and interacted with some members of the family.
He was in Uyo, Akwa Ibom state on September 21 to visit the family of Ndueso Young, on the sideline of his official visit to the state.
In the month of October, precisely on October 16, the VP visited the family of Retson Tedheke in Nasarawa, on the sideline of his visit to a farming community in the state.
Though the COVID-19 pandemic affected the Family Chat series, shortly before the outbreak, the VP paid a similar visit to the family of Ungowan on February 11, 2020 in Anambra state.
Political watchers say the visits to all the listed families cannot be termed political because they came way after the 2019 general elections and there were no outstanding elections anywhere that would have prompted any of such visits.
Osinbajo inaugurates NIPSS Endowment Fund Trustees, as Sultan commends VP's diligence
Meanwhile, VP Osinbajo inaugurated the Board of Trustees of the NIPSS Endowment Fund on Thursday, December 15.
Among the board members are prominent traditional rulers in the country, including the Sultan of Sokoto.
The Sultan chairing the board, lauded the vice president's commitment, particularly in handling national assignments.
Osinbajo-led privatisation council approves release of N1.3bn for payment of ex-FG workers
Recall that the National Council on Privatisation, presided over by Osinbajo, approved the sum of N1.371 billion for the settlement of outstanding redundancy benefits owed the ex-workers of Skyway Aviation Handling Company Plc.
According to a statement sent to Legit.ng by Osinbajo's spokesman, Laolu Akande, this was one of the highlights of the 6th meeting of the council last Friday, December 16, at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.
Akande said after deliberation on the matter, the council approved the outstanding severance entitlements of the ex-workers to be paid
Source: Legit.ng
