Buhari’s absence: Presidency dismisses report on political, constitutional crisis

Presidential spokesman, Malam Garba Shehu, has dismissed an article speculating that Nigeria faces imminent political and constitutional crisis on account of President Muhammadu Buhari’s absence to attend to his health in London.
The article was written by a Nigerian historian, Max Siollun, entitled “The Gentleman’s Agreement that Could Break Apart Nigeria,” published in the United States-based Foreign Policy magazine.
Shehu, who is also the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, described the article as “needlessly sensational and exaggerated speculations by conspiracy theorists’’.
The presidential aide explained that it was misleading to compare Buhari’s case to that of the late President Umaru Yar’Adua, adding that the circumstances were completely different.
According to him, unlike Yar’Adua, 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.
“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 added.
He noted that under 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 to act in his absence.
The media aide 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, Buhari did not leave Nigeria with any power vacuum.
“Therefore, any suggestions of uncertainty or constitutional crisis are imaginary and exaggerated.’’
He explained that with Acting President Osinbajo already running the affairs of the country in the absence of Buhari, people should stop creating artificial fears of crisis or uncertainty.
He noted that governance had not grounded to a halt because Buhari had duly complied with the constitution.
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.
The media aide said that the president publicly admitted he was sick and taking treatment and that he never pretended about his health condition, with the open admission.