The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has accused President Muhammodu Buhari of shrouding his private visit to London as official.
The main opposition party expressed concern that 72 hours after the President left for London on April 9, he is yet to conduct business meetings.
The party therefore charged the National Assembly to immediately invoke relevant sections of the 1999 Constitution to address what it described as ‘power vacuum’.
It expressed surprise 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 Meeting (CHOGM).
The statement signed by Kola Ologbondiyan, National Publicity Secretary, reads: “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.
“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)”.
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