Medical trip: Buhari has not violated any law — Senate

The Senate yesterday said President Muhammadu Buhari has not violated the law over his long absence from duty, while on medical vacation in the United Kingdom.

Daily Trust reports that there have been protests by groups that the president, who left for UK on May 7 for follow-up consultations with his doctors, should either return to the country or resign.

In a statement by its spokesperson, Senator Aliyu Sabiu Abdullahi, the Senate said “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.”

The Senate cautioned sponsors and participants in the protests by a coalition of civil society organizations, operating under the aegis of #OurMumuDonDo, demanding for the resignation of the President.

But the protesters said they won’t shift position on President Buhari and described the Senate as a ‘monumental failure.’

Leader of the group, Charles Oputa, said the Saraki-led chamber had once again demonstrated that it is nothing but a mere ‘rubber stamp’ of the executive arm of government.