Leave Buhari alone, he violated no law – Senate tells protesters

The Senate has cautioned the sponsors and participants in the protests by a coalition of civil society organizations,  demanding for the resignation of President Muhammadu Buhari over his medical vacation in London to stop heating up the polity with their demands.

In a statement signed by its spokesman, Aliyu Sabi Abdullahi, the Senate said the protesters were only creating unnecessary tension in the country and seeking to divert the attention of the Presidency from the economic and security issues which are being tackled with vigour.

The Senate noted that President Buhari had complied with the provisions of the nation’s grundnorm, the Constitution, which stipulated that he must handover to the Vice President and duly inform the two chambers of the legislature about his medical vacation.

“The President has broken no law and therefore we do not see any justification for this diversion and noise making. The sponsors are merely seeking cheap publicity at the expense of the peace of Nigeria. We, in the National Assembly,  are satisfied that there is no vacuum. The Federal Government is working. Acting President Yemi Osinbajo is providing the required leadership. So, there is no reason for the protests.

“All Nigerians now should focus on praying for the safe return of the President. We in the Senate are happy about the report by the Governors and party leaders who recently visited President Buhari in London and we know he will soon return to continue to provide leadership to our people and the rest of Africa.

“We therefore call on the protesters to stop all these demonstrations and let their sense of patriotism overshadow the zeal for activism by joining other Nigerians to pray for the President, the acting President and Nigeria as a country at this critical period”, Abdullahi stated.

A coalition of Civil Society and pro-democracy group under the aegis of #OurMumuDonDo, staged a peaceful protest march in Abuja asking President Buhari to resume or resign his office after spending over 90 days in London for medical treatment.

Led by musician, Charles Oputa aka ‘Charly Boy’, the group explained that the leadership of the National Assembly must choose between the Nigerian people and the cabal.

He regretted the failure of the leadership of the National Assembly to launch an investigation or set up a panel to look into the true status of President Buhari’s health, adding that the legislators have been compromised and working with the cabal in the Presidency against the Nigerian people.

 

OWEDE AGBAJILEKE, Abuja