The presidency has commended the Senate for its stance that President Muhammadu Buhari has not violated the law.
The Senior Special Assistant to the President on National Assembly Matters (Senate), Ita Enang, said this in a statement signed by his spokesman, Dr. Sabi Abdullahi, in Abuja friday.
Enang, who was fielding questions from journalists after an interactive session with law students from Akwa Ibom State who visited him in his office, described the Senate’s position as commendable and constitutional.
Enang made the statement while reacting to protests by a coalition of civil society organisations under the aegis of Resume or Resign, Our Mumu don du, and others who are demanding that Buhari should resumes duty or resign if incapacitated.
He maintained that Buhari had broken no law as he complied with the provisions of the nation’s constitution which stipulateds that he must handover to the vice president and duly inform the two chambers of the legislature about his medical vacation.
According to him, the National Assembly is satisfied that the president’s absence left no vacuum, and therefore cautioned protesters against creating unnecessary tension in the country.
“The stance of the Senate is very patriotic; very commendable and very constitutional.
“The Senate has always stood upright on matters of national interest, and whenever there is objection or anything that the Senate has objection to, we look at it maturely and amicably and in this particular situation, as in most other situations I commend the senate.
“We thank the Senate for the stabilising statement and for the position they have taken because it is the position of the law of the constitution,’’ he stated.
The presidential aide said the president was entitled under the constitution to go on medical vacation, saying Buhari had already complied with all relevant sections of the nation’s constitution.
“The president is entitled to, under the constitution, transmit formal letter to the Senate and House of Representatives informing them of his vacation and, until he returns and transmits another letter, the acting president is still in charge and there is no vacuum in the seat of power.
“So all actions of the government like that of the executive, legislature and the judiciary are going on and nothing is affected adversely by the vacation of the President since there is no vacuum in the country,’’ he added.
__________
Follow us on Twitter at @thesignalng
Copyright 2017 SIGNAL. Permission to use portions of this article is granted provided appropriate credits are given to www.signalng.com and other relevant sources.
