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YEMI OSINBAJO: Why Nigeria's Favourite Leader Won't Become President - yet

Nigerian Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo beside his wife Dolapo - 2018
Yemi Osinbajo is always basking in the love of many Nigerians - not a common experience for politicians in this country where they are generally held in low esteem.

The vice-president has been praised for the decisive - and dramatic - actions he has taken while standing in for Muhammadu Buhari during the president's recent 10-day holiday.

The dynamism of the sprightly 61-year-old has been contrasted to the ponderous nature of Mr. Buhari, 75, who has been nicknamed "Baba-Go-Slow".

However, as a southerner, he is unlikely to be able to stand in next year's presidential elections, due to the country's tradition of alternating power between the mainly Muslim north and largely Christian south.

'Police torture and killings'

Mr. Osinbajo's most recent intervention was to order the overhaul of the police's notorious anti-robbery squad, known as Sars, and ask the country's Human Rights Commission to investigate the numerous allegations of abuses committed by the unit.

For more than a year, President Buhari has been under pressure to take action against Sars, as stories were shared on social media about extra-judicial killings, arbitrary arrests, torture and extortion allegedly committed by its officers.

An #EndSars campaign was launched amid calls for the squad to be disbanded.

Mr. Osinbajo said he was moved to act because of the "persistent complaints and reports on the activities of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (Sars) that border on allegations of human rights violation".

He did not disband the unit but said it would get a new commissioner, be intelligence-driven and its mandate restricted to combating armed robbery and kidnappings.

Members of the squad would also have to wear proper identification while on duty.

Nigerians on Twitter celebrated - and many just seemed relieved to have an efficient politician getting things done.

The previous week, he took the huge step of sacking the controversial head of Nigeria's spy agency after a siege of parliament by men in masks, who turned out to be operatives from the Nigerian equivalent of the FBI.

It was a mysterious affair - and the reasons for the Department of State Security's (DSS) invasion of parliament are still murky, though it is thought to be linked to political machinations ahead of elections next year.

Nonetheless DSS boss Lawal Musa Daura has long been seen as one of the officials denting the government's reputation because of the agency's alleged excesses.

Yemi Osinbajo said the siege of parliament was a violation of "all accepted notions of law and order".

Critics have long wondered why President Buhari, who appointed him, has failed to take action against Mr. Daura.

By contrast, Mr. Osinbajo did not delay. He took the figurative bull by the horns, calling Mr. Daura's actions "unacceptable" and "a gross violation of the constitutional order, rule of law and all accepted notions of law and order".

Pulse of public opinion

A former law professor, the vice-president comes across as quiet, unassuming and hardworking.

But he is an eloquent and jovial person, who is usually seen with a smile on his face.
AFP


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