Skip to main content

SANS: No Vacuum With Buhari’s Absence

Two Senior Advocates of Nigeria (SANs) Yusuf Alli and Sebastine Hon yesterday said President Muhammadu Buhari complied with the Constitution by notifying the National Assembly of the extension of his vacation for health reasons.

They said since he handed over to Vice President Yemi Osinbajo who will continue to act as President, there was no vacuum, which the Constitution abhors.

Alli said: “We should all just be praying for his recovery. May God shield him so that he can get back to his duty-post.

“He has transmitted a letter to the National Assembly. That’s what the Constitution says he should do. And he has done that.”

On Buhari not stating when he will return, Alli said: “What is important is that he has transmitted a letter saying that he would be away.

“This means by extension that the Acting President continues in office, so there is no vacuum. What the Constitution wants to prevent is a situation where there is a vacuum. Somebody was acting for him and will continue to act.”

Hon, a constitutional lawyer, said Buhari means well for Nigeria by handing over to the Vice President before traveling.

He said the Acting President has full powers of a President, so there was no vacuum.

Hon said: “It is still within his constitutionally allowed time to be absent. Anybody can be sick, so let’s not over blow this thing. I would want everybody to pray for him and to wish him well.

“The Vice President is the Acting President. He has all the powers of a sitting President as it were, in the absence of the President.

“Buhari has done well by handing over to the Vice President. Some other people don’t do that. Some governors don’t hand over to their deputies when they travel.

“So, to hand over to the Vice President shows he means well for the country.”
 

Elder statesman and retired Federal Permanent secretary Chief Deji Fasuan, said it is a matter of regret that the president could not return yesterday as expected.

He added: “since we are all human beings, we are subjected to vicissitude of life including problem with body chemistry. We should continue to pray for him and to wish him well s that he get well quickly and rejoin us.

“This is one president, a Nigerian who loves this country dearly and who is desirous of cleaning it up. I’m sure all men of goodwill will wish him well.”

But a former Minister of Aviation Femi Fani Kayode in a tweeted last night: “Buhari has finally acknowledged that he is sick and has extended his stay abroad indefinitely. It is now clear that Nigeria is in trouble.”


http://thenationonlineng.net/sans-no-vacuum-buharis-absence/

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

FG Secures $7.5bn Loan From China For Rail Project

The Federal Government has secured $7.5 billion loan for the construction of standard rail gauge from Lagos to Kano, an official has said. The $7.5 billion is part of the $30 billion loan the Federal Government seeks to take and for which it has sought approval from the National Assembly. The Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, who disclosed this on Monday at the North Central Town Hall meeting held in Ilorin for the people of Kogi, Niger and Kwara states, urged Nigerians to impress it on the National Assembly to approve the loan request so that the Federal Government can go ahead with the project. But the Senate in a statement by its spokesperson, Aliyu Abdullahi, on Wednesday in Abuja, said that the minister’s claim was not only false but misrepresenting and contradictory to available facts. It insisted that the minister must withdraw the claim. According to Amaechi, the loan was secured from a Chinese bank and the ministry is waiting for approval of the National Asse...

Photo Of The Longest Yam In Nigeria Harvested In Delta State

This is a giant yellow yam called or okpai in ukwuani and igangan in yoruba. This yam was harvested at12 months old. It took the farmers three days to harvest the longest one. These yam was produced in umuaja, ukwuani local government, delta state, Nigeria.

Presidency Staff On Standby For Buhari's Return

Presidential aides were on Friday put on standby over the imminent return of President Muhammadu Buhari from London, United Kingdom. Buhari, who left Nigeria on January 19, was initially scheduled to return to the country last Sunday in preparation for resumption to office last Monday. However, the Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Mr. Femi Adesina, later issued a statement announcing that Buhari had notified the National Assembly of his decision to extend his vacation. Adesina had attributed the extension to the need for the President to wait behind and receive the results of medical tests which he had undergone on the advice of his doctors. Sources at the Presidential Villa, Abuja told one of our correspondents on Friday that Buhari was being expected this weekend. The sources said that presidential aides and officials of the Protocol Unit, as well as security operatives, had been put on the alert over the President’s imminent arrival. One of the so...