Tinubu, Shettima’s Absence: What Atiku Ought to Know
By Lawan Bukar Maigana
In an attempt to score a cheap political point, the first runner-up in the 2023 Presidential election, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar of the PDP camp, recently described the absence of President Ahmed Bola Tinubu and Sen. Kashim Shettima, who were on official assignments, as unprecedented.
I laughed when I saw his post because I was surprised that despite being a former Vice President in Nigeria between 1999 and 2007, he doesn’t know the section of the constitution under which he nearly outshines his principal, Olusegun Obasanjo, who wisely tackled him.
This is the reason why I laughed at his post. I wouldn’t have nodded in surprise if it were someone else because they didn’t serve in the top offices he is challenging.
As reacted by legal luminary, Daniel Bwala, the Villa is not a block industry, and neither the president nor his vice is a bricklayer, mentioning that the president and his vice have been privileged by the constitution to govern the country anywhere they are.
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The section 5 of Nigeria’s constitution centered on the executive powers of the federation is unequivocally clear: ‘The executive powers a) shall be vested in the President and may, subject as aforesaid and to the provisions of any law made by the National Assembly, be exercised by him either directly or through the Vice-President and Ministers of the Government of the Federation or officers in the public service of the Federation.’
This indicates that Nigeria, as a country, can still be governed with or without the presence of the senior officers – the president and his vice – so long as other top government officials like the ministers, the Secretary to the Federation, the Chief of Staff to the President, and the leaders of the Senate and House of Representatives are in the country. They can serve in their capacities in the event of the absence of the President and his Vice.
The laws have never insisted on the availability of either the President or his Vice for governance purposes in the country.
Atiku thought it is taboo for Shettima and his boss, Tinubu to leave the country for different assignments at the same time, not knowing that the duo were just enjoying their constitutional privileges that allow them to participate in two different engagements outside the country.
Lawan Bukar Maigana writes from Yobe State, and can be reached via email: [email protected]
