Buhari’s absence doesn’t contravene Nigeria’s Constitution – Garba Shehu
The Senior Special Adviser to President Muhammadu Buhari, Malam Garba Shehu, has dismissed an article by a Nigerian historian, Max Siollun, titled “The Gentleman’s Agreement that Could Break Apart Nigeria,” published in the United States-based Foreign Policy magazine, as a needless sensation.
Reacting to what he called “needlessly sensational and exaggerated speculations by conspiracy theorists”, Shehu explained that it is misleading to compare President Buhari’s case to that of the late President Umaru Musa
Yar’Adua, adding that the circumstances are completely different.
The piece speculates that Nigeria faces imminent political and constitutional crisis on account of Buhari’s absence to attend to his health in London.
In a statement signed by the Deputy Director (Information) State House, Abuja, Attah Esa, the SA said unlike the late President Yar’Adua, President Buhari has duly complied with the constitutional requirements by formally notifying the National Assembly of his intention to go for medical treatment and handing over to Prof Yemi Osinbajo as Acting President.
Shehu also observed that, “While Yar’Adua was too severely ill to transmit a letter formally to the Senate President and the Speaker of the House of Representatives, President Buhari is not in such medical state, and therefore, the country is not currently facing any complications on account of his absence.”
He noted that under President Yar’Adua, there was uncertainty about the role of the Vice President because the late President was not in a position to formally transfer power to his deputy, which necessitated the resort to the doctrine of necessity to enable Dr. Goodluck Jonathan act in his absence.
Malam Shehu explained that, currently, none of these circumstances prevail in Nigeria on account of President Buhari’s absence for medical treatment.
According to him, having transferred power formally to Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo, President Muhammadu Buhari did not leave Nigeria with any power vacuum, adding, therefore, that any suggestions of uncertainty or constitutional crisis are imaginary and exaggerated.
He explained that with the Acting President, Professor Osinbajo already running the affairs of the country in the absence of President Buhari, people should stop creating artificial fears of crisis or uncertainty, noting that governance has not grounded to a halt because President Buhari has duly complied with the constitution.
Malam Shehu appealed to conspiracy theorists not to pollute the polity by needlessly seeking to create an atmosphere of fear, uncertainty and suspicions in the country.
Shehu submitted that the President public admission that he is sick and taking treatment does not pretend about his health condition with the open confession.
