Garba Shehu, presidential spokesman, says it was unnecessary for President Muhammadu Buhari to inform the national assembly of his private trip to the UK.
Speaking when he featured on Channels TV programme on Sunday, the presidential aide also said Buhari can work from anywhere if he so decides.
The president left for the UK last week to spend 10 days on what the presidency called a “private trip“.
He left without transmitting a letter to the national assembly, an action some Nigerians have criticised, describing as illegal.
But Shehu defended his principal, saying the president did not violate any law by not informing the lawmakers.
According to him, “the president didn’t make a mistake by taking off without writing a letter to the national assembly because it was unnecessary. In some of the leading democracies, it’s conventional that in fact, a prime minister can be asked to leave the public space for private time at least once in a month in some countries.”
He added that the 1999 constitution stipulates 21 days as “the back-off point” for the president and “that is where infringement is caused”.
“But as it is now, there is no constitutional or legal infraction that has happened. So, the president is doing his work from wherever he is,” he said.
“Yes, it is right that the president can operate anywhere he is. If you are a permanent secretary and the president calls you from Abidjan and says you go and repair that road, are you going to tell him that Mr. President you are not a Nigerian in Abidjan, you are not going to do the work?”
“Do you think you will have your job waiting for you the next day? These are matters of common sense,”
Let Zebra News help your business/brand reach a wider audience. Advertise with us today! Contact Our Marketing Team; Tel: 08062622328, 07083662767. Email: zebranewsng@gmail.com
