The Presidency has said that the rights to protest is guaranteed every
Nigerians, insisting that President Muhammadu Buhari who has spent over 90
days in London as a result of undisclosed ill health will not resign from
his office.
The Presidency through a Statement signed by Mallam Garba Shehu, Senior
Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity said those
calling for the President to resign have overstepped their bounds.
The statement reads:
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 need of the hour for this country is to rid it of corruption, reform
and reinvigorate the economy and to fight crime and insurgency.
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.
Garba Shehu
Senior Special Assistant to President
(Media and Publicity)
Abuja
9-8-2017