Elder Statesman Asks Buhari To Resign To Save Nigeria

An elder statesman and former House of Representatives member, Chief David Ukpong has called on President Muhammadu Buhari to resign from office to save the country from further embarrassment.

Ukpong said this on Saturday while speaking with journalists in Uyo. Ukpong, who represented Itu/Ibiono Ibom Federal Constituency from 1979-1983, said that with claims and counter claims on the capability of Buhari to perform his official functions, the trend has necessitated the call for his resignation.“Should the information given to us be true, then there is nowhere in history where a president has been on sick bed for more than three months and then continue to remain as the president.“This development shows that the president is incapacitated to discharge his official duties. It is on this premise that I call on the president to resign in order to save Nigeria from further embarrassment and colossal financial losses,” he said.He urged the Federal Executive Council to be up to their responsibilities by excising its powers regarding the predicament the country is passing through as a result of the president ill health.He said section 144 Sub [1] of the 1999 constitution as amended empowered them to remove the president from office if he refused to voluntarily resign under the prevailing circumstances.He said, “The President or Vice President shall cease to hold office, if [a] by resolution passed by two third majority of all the members of the Executive Council of the Federation, it is declared that, the president or vice president is incapable of discharging the functions of his office.”According to him, Sub [2] of same section 144, empowers the FEC to set up a medical panel to certify whether the president or vice president is incapable to discharge the functions of his office and, where such is established, he should be asked to resign or otherwise.
He expressed surprise why the National Assembly or the FEC have refused to employ the section of the constitution after Buhari has been outside the country on medical grounds for over 65 days.