Lawyer Shares The Position of The Law as Tinubu, Shettima’s Absence ‘Creates Leadership Vacuum’

• Several days after the conclusion of the World Economic Forum (WEF) meeting in Saudi Arabia, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is yet to return to Nigeria
• In the same vein, vice-president Kashim Shettima has travelled out of Nigeria to attend the 2024 US-Africa Business Summit at the Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center in Dallas, Texas, USA
• In an interview with TheTalk.NG, a top Nigerian lawyer, Yusuf Nurudeen, shared the position of the law concerning the situation

TheTalk.NG journalist Ridwan Adeola Yusuf has over 9 years of experience covering politics and elections in Nigeria.

FCT, Abuja – A Lagos-based lawyer, Yusuf Nurudeen, has explained that since President Bola Tinubu is neither incapacitated nor on vacation, his appointees can pilot the affairs of Nigeria.

Nurudeen, the founder of the Foundation for Public Interest Law and Development, stated this in an interview with TheTalk.NG.

He referenced section 145 of the 1999 Nigerian constitution, which says the president is under a constitutional duty to always transmit power whenever he embarks on medical vacation or any form of vacation whatsoever.

Days after, presidency silent over Tinubu’s whereabout. Photo credits: Kashim Shettima, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed TinubuSource: Twitter

On Sunday, May 5, vice-president Kashim Shettima departed Abuja for Dallas, United States, for the 2024 US-Africa Business Summit.

The country’s No.2 citizen travelled at a time when the whereabouts of Tinubu have continued to generate concerns.

Monday, May 6, made it exactly eight days after Tinubu attended the World Economic Forum’s (WEF’s) Special Meeting on Global Collaboration, Growth and Energy for Development in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

However, he is yet to return to Nigeria since then.

The two-day forum, which aimed to help public and private sector leaders address shared global challenges, opened on Sunday, April 28, and ended on Monday, April 29, 2024.

The presidency has not released any statement on what is holding the president from returning to Nigeria.

This has led to speculations in some quarters that the president may have proceeded to Paris, France, where he had travelled to several times for medicals.

While some persons have asserted that a leadership vacuum has been created, others opined that Senate President Godswill Akpabio will take charge. However, Barrister Nurudeen has a different thought.

Nurudeen told TheTalk.NG:

“In my view, the provision of the constitution says when the president is on vacation, he should write to the president of the senate of his intention.

“In the circumstances of this case, I do not think that the president is on vacation. I think the president is on a state visit to Saudi Arabia, from what we heard in the news, and that he is attending functions, and trying to promote the country. So, nothing is suggesting that he is on vacation at the moment.”

Explaining further, Nurudeen said incapacitation is part of what section 145 of the Nigerian constitution (about the transmission of power) mentioned.

The legal practitioner added:

“I am very sure that he (Tinubu) can exercise the powers of the office of the president through his ministers and appointees from any part of the world.”

More to read about Tinubu

“Put Tinubu in your prayer”: Shettima pleads

Earlier, TheTalk.NG reported that Shettima called for prayer for Tinubu and the country’s leadership, adding that every responsible citizen will pray for their leaders.

The vice president made the plea while playing host to the elders of Borno state, leaders of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and other stakeholders at his residence.

Source: TheTalk.NG

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