By There Is No Power Vacuum- Presidency Insists As Group Calls For Resignation Of Buhari
The presidency has insisted President Muhammadu Buhari has not breached the constitution or any law by handing over power to his Vice in order to take adequate care of his health and as such, there is no vacuum in government.
The Presidency was reacting to protest held in Abuja on Monday by Concerned Nigerians, a group which kicked against the continued stay of the President in London.
BlackBox Nigeria gathered that prior to the protest by the concerned group of people, some Constitutional lawyers had made it clear that President Buhari has not breached any law as the COnsitution did not in any way specify the number of days he is permitted to go on vacation as long as he has transmitted letter to the National Assembly.
It was learnt that the President has not violated any Constitutional provision or any other law of the land because the 1999 Constitution (as amended) does not give a time limit for the president to resume office when on vacation as long as he has approved the Vice President to temporarily take over on his behalf.
The presidency yesterday towed the same line of argument when it warned that such calls being made by the group or any other group was an assault on the constitution.
In a statement by the senior special assistant to the president on Media and publicity, Mallam Garba Shehu, the presidency said the protesters have overstepped their bounds, even as it urged well-meaning members of the public to ignore the call for the president to resign.
Shehu said, “I wish to respond to media enquiries following demonstration by a few citizens this morning in Abuja. The demonstration is in the exercise of their freedom under the constitution, which guarantees their right to embark on peaceful protests.
“So long as they remain peaceful, we have no problem with them. What is democracy if citizens can’t peacefully demonstrate?
“On the second issue demanding the President’s return or resignation or certain explanations, I would say that they have over-stepped their bounds. The President has complied 100 percent with the constitution by handing over power to the Vice-President before proceeding on his vacation. He has not breached any law or the constitution by staying away from office to take care of his health.
“Equally, there is nothing like a power vacuum in the country given the competence and general harmony with which the whole government is running. Any such calls as being made by this or any other group represent an irrational assault on the constitution and should be ignored by well-meaning members of the public”.
The presidential spokesman observed that what the country need at the moment is to rid it of corruption, reform and reinvigorate the economy and to fight crime and insurgency.
Shehu continued: “The government is busy with the reconstruction and rehabilitation of infrastructure all over the country. It is creating jobs for the unemployed.
“It has set its sights on the larger picture of the country’s development; investing in rail and power projects and redeeming the country’s image from the mountains of corruption scandals that have marred it. We will not, therefore, be distracted by this or any other groups”.
