Popular human rights crusader, Olufemi Akinbule Aduwo, has warned the ruling APC government that it risks losing popularity among even it’s loyalists should the President of Nigeria, Muhammadu Buhari, voted two years ago on its platform stays longer than necessary outside the country where he is presently receiving treatment for an undisclosed ailment.
Buhari returned to a UK hospital 94 days ago for treatment. The nature of his sickness which has continued to be shrouded in secrecy is throwing the country into the realm of speculations with some Nigerians believing he either has been incapacitated or dead save for photos of him receiving guests which were released to the nation a few days ago.
According to a statement made available by Aduwo, the APC and Buhari’s aides are not doing him any good, noting that his long stay abroad coupled with their hiding away the nature of his sickness from those who voted him as president, is affecting both his image and that of the party in a negative and that he hopes it doesn’t take them too late to realize this else they risk losing credibility totally.
Aduwo’s statement is presented below:
“They (the protesters who asked Buhari to resume or resign) are Nigerians and they are entitled to their opinion. However, I don’t follow emotions, but believe in facts. We need to look at the position of the constitution on this. For the president to be forced to resign on health grounds, you need the two-third of the Federal Executive Council. But the question to ask is if they have what it takes to say the president should resign. They will tell you that Buhari has never breached any constitutional provision. Don’t forget that these Ministers you are talking about are appointees of the President.
But from a moral point of view, many things are wrong and that is why many Nigerians are looking up to the National Assembly to do the right thing as opposed the amendment of the constitution for their selfish reasons.
They preferred to amend the Constitution for the Senate President and Speaker to be members of the Council of State, whereas this section of the constitution needs to be reviewed and amended such that if a president cannot function within three or four months, we should able to know the status of his health. It is natural for Nigerians to know what happen to their president. For him to be away for 90 days, it no fluke, we must know why.
Morally, it is not enough for him to stay outside and somebody else is acting, in any case I don’t think he transmitted the total presidential power to Osinbajo. We were all in this country when ministerial nominees were cleared for over three months but the acting president couldn’t swear them in until recently.
The truth is that people know that the man is not fully in charge. What many are saying now is that Nigeria is bigger than any individual. See, age is not on Buhari’s side, he is an old man, but this cabal, are ones playing games with us. We should even query further, can Mr. President on return to the country function effectively by discharging his duties? The answer is no.
Those who brought him
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from London the last time did so for political propaganda and after some months, he went back. The more he stays outside of the country the more the popularity of his party, the APC, wanes. He will only put APC in problem .
I agree that certain things may be justified under the law, but they may be morally wrong and our moral sense is tied to our conscience. I don’t want to agree with insinuations that those observing the sit-out are sponsored by looters or opposition party. The question to ask is are they Nigerians and are they entitled to their opinion?”