The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has accused President Muhammodu
Buhari of shrouding his private visit to London as official.
The party said President Buhari left the country on Monday, April 9,
2018 for London and arrived his destination same day.
It is instructive to note that Mr. President has not conducted a single
business of government 72hrs after his arrival in UK.
More astonishing is the fact that President Buhari did not transmit a
letter to the National Assembly indicating that he was going on a week’s
vacation ahead of the Commonwealth Heads of Government (CHOGM).
PDP demands that the National Assembly save the nation from an imminent
constitutional crisis by immediately commencing processes to address the
current power vacuum in the country, following President Muhammadu
Buhari’s decision to embark on a private trip abroad without officially
transmitting power to the Vice President.
The intervention of the federal legislature has become a national
imperative, as the President’s action has put the nation in clear
danger.
Nigeria is at the moment bereft of statutory leadership, including the
apparatus of security command, particularly as President Buhari had not
indicated a date of return to the country.
The PDP and of course, Nigerians at large, are particularly worried that
in the event of any national emergency, there is no sitting
commander-in-chief to take charge.
It is incontrovertible that President Buhari is on a private trip to the
United Kingdom (UK) as he was not received on arrival, by the government
of that country; has not had any contact with the British Prime
Minister, Theresa May or any high officials of the UK government and has
not conducted any official business since his arrival to the country on
Monday.
Since Monday, President Buhari has been holidaying in London and has
been unable to discharge the functions of his Office, in total disregard
to the provisions of the Nigerian Constitution, disdain to Nigerians and
flagrant abuse of his presidential office.
By embarking on this vacation and abdicating his official functions
without transmitting a written declaration to the President of the
Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives, and holding on
to power while on vacation, President Buhari acted in gross violation of
Section 145 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended).
We know that Mr. President is billed to attend the CHOGM meeting
scheduled to hold between April 16 and 20, but has been in London since
Monday attending to private matters, while the ship of state is left
bare of statutory leadership as nobody
even knows when he is due to return to the country.
Nigerians will recall that the PDP had earlier demanded the President to
issue a full disclosure on the nature, scope and duration of the private
aspect of President Buhari’s trip, a request, they blatantly
ignored, in total disdain to the sensibilities of Nigerians.
The PDP and lovers of democracy in Nigeria are particularly miffed
that in the desperation to hold power, President Buhari chose to observe
the provisions of the constitution in the breach, thereby endangering
our dear nation.
We therefore charge the National Assembly to immediately come to the
rescue and invoke relevant sections of our constitution and statutory
books to address this power vacuum that is capable of derailing our
democracy.