Vice President Yemi Osinbajo says he’s not okay with being called a ‘spare tyre’ as vice president noting that a ‘co-pilot’ is a more befitting and dignifying appellation.
The number two citizen spoke on Tuesday during the unveiling of a book, ‘Deputising and Governance in Nigeria’, authored by Governor Abdullahi Ganduje.
Speaking on the analogy of the spare tyre widely used to describe the role of the deputy to the president, he stated that a better description would be that of the relationship between a pilot and his co-pilot in an aircraft.
“Imagine a commercial flight with people, including you on a plane, there is the captain, and then there is his deputy. The captain flies the plane, but no human being can be completely focused for several hours,” Mr Osinbajo explained. “So, sometimes he gets up and goes to the bathroom while the flight is on; his deputy had better be a good pilot, otherwise lives are at risk.”
He further explained the analogy saying, “Can you imagine a situation where the captain leaves the cockpit briefly and you hear an announcement from the cockpit: ‘Ladies and gentlemen, I am the deputy to the captain. The captain is in the restroom, and I am only a spare tyre and I am not sure what to do now?’ If you are in that plane you will ask God for forgiveness for expecting that a deputy or assistant plays no role.”
The book launch was part of the programme at a workshop where the roles of a deputy to an elected public official, especially vice presidents and deputy governors came under public scrutiny, according to a statement by Mr Osinbajo’s media aide Laolu Akande.
The workshop featured reminiscences by former President Goodluck Jonathan, who was deputy to then-President Umaru Yar’Adua, Mr Osinbajo, Mr Ganduje and Deputy Governor Nasir Gawuna.
“A thought that runs through the book is that in spite of the put-downs of the office, being political number two is important. This is because political office is about the lives of millions of people and not just about the prestige of office. In our constitutional democracy, the effectiveness of the number two citizen, the vice president, depends a great deal on the trust reposed in him by the president,” said Mr Osinbajo.
The vice president highlighted the importance of dedication, loyalty and service in political office on governance, describing the relationship between him and President Muhammadu Buhari as ideal and exemplary.
“I am more fortunate than others in my relationship with my principal, the president who genuinely believes in the role of the vice president. At a time that he was embarking on medical leave, there were a few things that were outstanding to send to him,” Mr Osinbajo stated. “All he said was: ‘I don’t want you to send me anything It is your job now, just make sure you do a good job.’”
The vice president added, “He expects that I know what to do and should do it.