Trip to UK: Buhari taking Nigerians for a ride – Edwin Clark

Leader of Pan Niger Delta Forum (PANDEF), Edwin Clark, on Tuesday reacted to President Muhammadu Buhari trip to UK for medical check-up, describing the trip as disrespectful to Nigerians.

Clark, who spoke with newsmen in Abuja on Tuesday, said: “Nigeria belongs to all of us, we are not running a banana state. Buhari is taking Nigerians for a ride. He doesn’t have the right to jet out to London without handing over power to the Vice President in line with the constitution.

“Nigeria is bleeding and only God knows how much of taxpayers money must have been spent by the President on his health. It is arrogance for Buhari to think he can govern Nigeria from abroad. He should hand over power to Osinbajo.

The elder statesman described as unconstitutional and disrespectful to Nigerians the failure of the President to hand over power to the Vice President, Yemi Osinbajo.

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He also charged the President to detail the nature of his sickness to Nigerians in specific terms, seeking the intervention of the Supreme Court.

“What Section 145 says, is that the president shall transmit to the national assembly, the president of the senate and the speaker of the House of Representatives, whenever he will be away on medical vacation.

“And in his absence, the constitution empowers the vice president to act as the president. And the word shall is used there. Where does Mr. President get that one from? That one does not exist, except that’s another constitution.

“Overseeing of the affairs of the government as acting president is a must because the constitution uses the word shall which is obligatory. And anything done outside it is unconstitutional and illegal.

“The president of Nigeria is constitutionally bound to inform Nigerians, of whatever ailment or disease he is suffering from and for which government money is being spent.”

Like he did in March and July this year, the President had departed for London, the United Kingdom on Monday for “routine medical check-up” and was supposed to return to the country in the second week of November, 2022.