- Says President Has Not Breached The Constitution
…As Charly Boy, Others Continue Protest Today
By ‘Dotun Akintomide
The presidency has on Monday ruled out demands by protesters calling on President Muhammadu Buhari to either return back to the country or resign, warning that such calls as being made by the group or any other group was an assault on the constitution.
In a statement by the senior special assistant to the president on Media and publicity, Mallam Garba Shehu, the presidency said the protesters have overstepped their bounds, even as it urged well-meaning members of the public to ignore the call for the president to resign.
Shehu said, “I wish to respond to media enquiries following demonstration by a few citizens this morning in Abuja. The demonstration is in the exercise of their freedom under the constitution, which guarantees their right to embark on peaceful protests.
“So long as they remain peaceful, we have no problem with them. What is democracy if citizens can’t peacefully demonstrate?
“On the second issue demanding the President’s return or resignation or certain explanations, I would say that they have over-stepped their bounds. The President has complied 100 percent with the constitution by handing over power to the Vice-President before proceeding on his vacation. He has not breached any law or the constitution by staying away from office to take care of his health.
“Equally, there is nothing like a power vacuum in the country given the competence and general harmony with which the whole government is running. Any such calls as being made by this or any other group represent an irrational assault on the constitution and should be ignored by well-meaning members of the public”.
Shehu continued: “The government is busy with the reconstruction and rehabilitation of infrastructure all over the country. It is creating jobs for the unemployed.
“It has set its sights on the larger picture of the country’s development; investing in rail and power projects and redeeming the country’s image from the mountains of corruption scandals that have marred it. We will not, therefore, be distracted by this or any other groups”.
President Buhari had been on medical vacation in the United Kingdom since May 7 and his wife, Aisha Buhari, yesterday went back to London to meet her husband.
She had returned to the country last Wednesday and proceeded to Imo State where she attended the 2017 August meeting hosted by women in the state.
A coalition of civil society groups along with Charles Oputa, popularly called Charly Boy, staged a protest in Abuja to demand the resignation of President Buhari.
The group, Concerned Nigerians, had converged at the Unity Fountain in Abuja to urge the President Buhari to either resume duty or resign.
Convener of the group, Deji Adeyanju, said the protest would continue today with a sit-out at the Unity Fountain until the president either returns or resigns.
“The sit-out will be daily, 9 am to 10 am”, he said, while Charley Boy added that “our mumu don do”.
