[size=14pt]Christmas holiday trip: Pressure mounts on Jonathan to sack Lukman[/size]
By Olusola Fabiyi and Gbenga Adeniji, Published: Tuesday, 29 Dec 2009
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Pressure is mounting on Vice-President Goodluck Jonathan to sack the Minister of Petroleum Resources, Dr. Rilwan Lukman, for allegedly flouting an instruction to some ministers not to travel out of the country.

Lukman was reported to have travelled to Vienna, Austria, a day after the V-P‘s instruction was passed down to the ministers not to observe the Christmas holiday due to the lingering fuel crisis in the country.

However, the minister, on Monday, said he took permission from the vice-president before undertaking his journey out of the country.

The Publicity Secretary of the Conference of Nigerian Political Parties, Mr. Osita Okechukwu, in an interview with our correspondent, said Lukman‘s action was a clear disrespect to constituted authorities.

He said that the time had come for Jonathan to assume the position of acting President.

The CNPP said Lukman‘s action was an affront not only to Jonathan, but to all Nigerians, who it said the vice-president represented.

He said, ”The action of the minister was unfortunate. His action represents the thinking of members of President Umaru Yar‘Adua kitchen cabinet, which wants to hold on to power at all cost.

”As far as we are concerned, Lukman as a senior minister, should know that there is going to be more demand for fuel in December as many people are likely going to travel.

”This he did not do. The crisis came and he had no solution until he was compelled by the vice-president to sit at home and find solution to the problem.

”But instead of doing that, he decided to defy the order. What the minister has done is a fragrant disobedience to constituted authority. By now, he ought to have been sacked.”

”All they are after is themselves and their pockets. But time has come for the vice-president to assume office in an acting capacity just as we continue to pray for President Umaru Yar‘Adua.”

National Publicity Secretary of the Action Congress, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, in an interview with one of our correspondents, said the party‘s position was known from the first day.

He said, ”For as long as the vice-president was not formally handed over to, he becomes a bit impotent. Don‘t forget that in some respect, the ministers were appointed by the President. There is no formal transfer of power, so he couldn‘t exercise measure of control over him. What constitutional provision will he be relying on to do that? He is the vice-president as of today because there has been no formal transfer of power to him. It is even quite doubtful if as acting President, Jonathan could fire him (Lukman) without further recourse to Yar‘Adua who may then tell him to go ahead for he has his backing.

”It is not that what Rilwan Lukman did was right. But constitutionally, Jonathan doesn‘t have the constitutional backing to fire him.

This is why we have been saying that the constitution must be amended to the effect that as soon as the President travels abroad on vacation or for medical purpose, the vice-president should be the Acting President.

Clarifying Lukman‘s position, the Group General Manager, Public Affairs Division of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, Dr. Levi Ajuonuma, who made the clarification in a statement, said Lukman was saddened by the reports and the innuendoes they contained.

”Dr. Lukman is concerned about the recent reports in the media insinuating that he defied the vice-president‘s order banning him from going on break during the Christmas break. He has explained that contrary to the reports, he actually sought and got the vice-president‘s express permission to travel,” Ajuonuma said in a statement.

He quoted the Minister as saying: ”At the end of the last Federal Executive Council meeting in which the vice-president gave the instruction that we should not travel, I intimated him of the urgent need for me to travel to attend to certain pressing official as well as family matters and he gave me approval to travel. I couldn‘t have travelled without the express permission of the vice-president. I have no reason whatsoever to defy the office of the vice-president as is widely reported.”

Ajuonuma urged anyone in doubt to verify from the office of the vice-president, adding that he hoped the clarification would put an end to all the attacks on the person of the minister.

http://www.punchng.com/Articl.aspx?theartic=Art2009122912501092

I v said before that vp made a mistake by giving out such orders when he knows he has not got d cönstitutional backing 2 follow suit d outcome! People should learn 2 act safely.