Laolu Akande, former spokesperson to Nigeria’s Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, set the record straight with Elon Musk regarding the role of vice presidents in a presidential system. The conversation sparked after Musk’s critical tweet following U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris’s performance in the recent U.S. Presidential debate, questioning her achievements during her term.
Musk, in his tweet, acknowledged that Harris had exceeded expectations during the debate but suggested that former President Donald Trump would perform better in enacting real change. Musk questioned why Harris had not done more, arguing that with President Joe Biden “rarely showing up for work,” Harris should be “basically in charge already.”
Akande swiftly responded, explaining the often misunderstood and limited role of vice presidents in governance. “Good point @elonmusk, if you meant that @KamalaHarris won the debate last night, you would be absolutely correct,” Akande began. “But to expect VP Harris to be the one calling the shots already in the White House or trying to judge her by what she didn’t do so far as VP—you are then missing the point.”
Drawing from his extensive experience as spokesperson to Vice President Osinbajo, Akande emphasized that vice presidents, particularly in a presidential system like the U.S., are not responsible for setting policy. “In a presidential system, VPs don’t make policies AT ALL. The best a VP can do is to advise, and that is always behind the scenes.”
Akande also took the opportunity to address Musk’s insinuation that Harris’s tenure has been unproductive, pointing out that vice presidents are largely support figures. “The role of a vice president is to offer counsel and to support the president. It’s a role performed behind the scenes, not on the frontlines of policy execution,” Akande clarified.
Akande noted that Harris’s popularity has been steadily increasing, bolstered by her debate performance and the growing public recognition of her work. “Many Americans are getting to meet Harris, and judging by the polls, more and more of them seem to like what they are finding out,” Akande tweeted, even referencing pop star Taylor Swift’s recent endorsement of Harris as a sign of her expanding appeal beyond political spheres.
Despite Musk’s critique of Harris’s accomplishments, Akande argued that the vice president’s role is inherently constrained by the structure of the presidential system. It’s the president who makes the final decisions, and the vice president offers support and advice when required.
Musk’s original tweet framed the debate as a contest between action and rhetoric, suggesting that while Harris spoke well, she had not demonstrated tangible achievements. He posed a question to American voters: “Do you want current trends to continue for four more years or do you want change?” Musk’s comments were an implicit endorsement of Donald Trump as the candidate who could bring about that change.
However, Akande pushed back against Musk’s narrative that Harris had failed to deliver results. “It’s misleading to evaluate the effectiveness of a vice president based on achievements one would expect from the president,” Akande tweeted. He urged people to appreciate Harris for her advisory role, not for driving the political agenda.
Akande also weighed in on the performance of the debate moderators, who faced challenges in managing the discussions, particularly when former President Trump spoke. Akande empathized with their difficult task of moderating contentious issues while maintaining professionalism. “As for the moderators, honestly, it would be such a big task for them to sit down there being professional journalists, listening to many inaccuracies by former President Trump, and just keep silent,” Akande observed.
Acknowledging the role of journalists and moderators in such high-stakes debates, Akande praised their ability to maintain composure despite the barrage of controversial statements from Trump. He lauded the moderators for their professionalism, though he hinted that he personally would have found it difficult to remain silent.
As the U.S. presidential race heats up, Akande made his position clear: Kamala Harris is the superior choice for the next four years. In a tweet that showed his support for the Harris/Walz ticket, Akande said, “What is clear is that Harris is the better choice in the 2024 US Presidential Elections! On November 5, Americans will make the ultimate decision of who is indeed better. My vote is for Harris/Walz.”
