Paul Ibe, media aide to the African Democratic Congress (ADC) presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, has called on the National Assembly to initiate impeachment proceedings against President Bola Tinubu over his extended stay outside Nigeria.
Ibe made the call during an interview on News Central TV, alleging that Tinubu’s continued absence from the country without transmitting the required declaration to the National Assembly contravened the Constitution.
He cited Section 145 of the 1999 Constitution, which provides that when the President proceeds on vacation or is otherwise unable to discharge the functions of his office, he is to transmit a written declaration to the President of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives.
Ibe said, “The National Assembly should initiate impeachment procedures against the President. He should be impeached for going contrary to the Constitution.
“Section 145 says whenever the President is proceeding on vacation, not working vacation, because there is no provision for working vacation. That’s an afterthought because they are trying to be smart.”
He questioned whether the required declaration had been transmitted to the National Assembly, noting that Tinubu had been out of the country for more than 21 days.
“The question is, was this letter transmitted to the National Assembly? And I think as citizens we should know. If he didn’t, he has stayed beyond 21 days. Today is the 23rd day and he is not coming back until the weekend, according to the Presidency,” Ibe said.
Under Section 145(2), where the President fails to transmit the required declaration within 21 days, the National Assembly may, by a simple majority in each chamber, mandate the Vice-President to perform the functions of President as Acting President.
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Tinubu left Nigeria on August 30 for London to begin what the Presidency described as a working vacation. He later travelled to Paris, France, where he met French President Emmanuel Macron and businessman Vincent Bolloré.
The Presidency announced on September 21 that Tinubu had extended his stay by a few days and would return to Nigeria at the weekend. It said the President had remained in contact with officials at home and continued to direct government affairs while abroad.
Vice-President Kashim Shettima is currently in New York representing Nigeria at the 81st United Nations General Assembly.
The Presidency has maintained that Tinubu can continue to direct the affairs of the country while abroad, while presidential aide Daniel Bwala said the President’s authority to govern Nigeria was not limited by his physical location.
