From Fred Itua, Abuja and Gyang Bere, Jos
The Senate, yesterday, came out in stout defence of ailing President Muhammadu Buhari, saying he has not violated any known laws of the country.
It also cautioned sponsors and participants in the ongoing protests by a coalition of civil society organisations, operating under the aegis of #OurMumuDonDo and demanding the resignation of President Buhari over his medical vacation in the United Kingdom, to stop heating up the polity with their unreasonable demands.
In a statement signed by its spokesman, 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 were being tackled with vigour.
It noted that Buhari had complied with the provisions of the Constitution, which stipulated that he must hand over 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,” the senate stated.
Meanwhile, a cleric, Prophet Isa El-Buba has accused the kitchen cabinet of Buhari of restricting Osinbajo from taking major decisions that would better the lots of Nigerians.
He advised Buhari to give critical attention to his ill-health and not hurry back home until he is fully certified by his medical doctor.
Prophet El-Buba, who stated this in Jos during a press conference, said if the acting president is given full capacity to act without restrain, Nigeria would transform into an enviable nation in less than one year.
“There is no need for President Buhari to rush back if he is not fully recovered, he should take time to attend to his health and give the acting president full capacity to act without interference of certain personalities from cabinet.
“From my observation, the acting president has been slow down by certain powers bent on holding the country to ransom. He started on a very high speed towards economic recovery that had placed the country on hardship.
“He had visited market women to know the actual cost of foodstuff, he visited Niger Delta to address the militancy problem and currently, he is addressing the challenges of insecurity in Kaduna State and agitation for secession by some interest groups, but some people are not happy with the steps he has taken so far, they felt he is stealing the show from the president.”
El-Buba flayed some individuals who he claimed were working round the clock to puncture Osinbajo’s political will to place Nigeria on the track of steady growth and development.
He said such elements should be identified and showed the way out from the Presidency.