Nigerian lawyers under the aegis of United Global Resolve for Peace, have threatened showdown while compelling the acting president, other to take decisions over the president’s ill health.
*File photo of Nigerian lawyers used for illustrative purposes only*
Some lawyers, on Wednesday, threatened to go to court and compel the Federal Executive Council (FEC) to set up a medical committee to ascertain if ailing President Muhammadu Buhari is fit enough to continue in office, The Sun reports.
The lawyers, who converged under the aegis of United Global Resolve for Peace (UGRFP), said they had already written letters to the Acting President Yemi Osinbajo, the Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF) and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami and the Acting Secretary to Government of the Federation (SGF), Habibat Lawal, to set up the medical team in line with Section 145 of the 1999 Constitution as amended.
Speaking on behalf of others, Pelumi Olajengbesi said: “We have written letters to the Acting President, the AGF and the SGF to set up a medical committee to ascertain if President Buhari is fit enough to continue in office.
 
“This is not about the president or anybody, but the institution called Nigeria. We need to follow what the constitution says and ensure that the right thing is done. We are giving them two weeks.
“If they fail to do that and set up the committee, we will be left with no choice, but to approach the court and compel them to do the right thing. They need to invoke that section of our constitution.”
Executive director of the group, Olaseni Shalom, who also spoke, blamed the current ethnic tensions on the continuous absence of President Buhari.
“A fundamental factor that has the capacity to undermine the peace is the prolonged absence of President Buhari. While we are sympathetic to Buhari’s health challenges, we are also convinced that the continued absence of President Buhari from the country would further lead to the degeneration of an already bad situation.
 
“We therefore urge the hierarchy of government to do what is needful, what is right and just and what the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria requires,” Shalom said.