FEC, Senate Take
Stand On Yar’ Adua Absence
Obiora Ani, Aliyu Othman, Abuja
The
Federal Executive Council has resolved that President Umaru Yar
‘Adua’s medical treatment outside Nigeria does not constitute
incapacity to warrant or commence the process of his removal.
Nigeria’s Attorney General and Minister of Justice, Chief
Michael Aondoakaa said at the end of the weekly council meeting
in Abuja that the President was not incapable of discharging the
functions of his office.
The Minister cited three similar cases in the United States of
America and concluded that they were not different from the
prevailing situation of President Yar ‘Adua and the provision of
the Nigerian 1999 constitution.
In another development, the Nigerian Senate, at the end of its
two-day closed door meeting to discuss the issue, demanded that
ailing President Yar ‘Adua takes steps to transfer power to his
deputy, in accordance with the country’s constitution.
Senate President David Mark said the President has to formally
notify the National Assembly of his medical vacation.
The constitution states that whenever the head of state informs
the parliament of his absence, then the Vice President can act
on his behalf.
The Senate also asked its committee handling the review of the
1999 constitution to amend Section 145 of the document to
forestall a recurrence of political uncertainty as being
witnessed.
Yinka
