A Non-governmental Organisation, Advocacy for Advancement of Peace and Harmony in Africa Initiative (ADAPHAI) on Monday described the continued silence on President Buhari’s health status as a dangerous political trend in Nigeria, calling on the presidency to do the needful and stop keeping Nigerians in the dark.
The Executive Director of the organisation, Mr Olaniyi Owolabi disclosed this in an exclusive interview with DAILY POST , carpeting the Special Adviser on Media to the President, Mr Femi Adesina on a comment credited to him, where he said only President Muhammadu Buhari has the right to disclose his health condition.
Owolabi averred that such statement from the president’s spokesperson was an affront on the sensibility of Nigerian people, adding that Nigerians have the right to know the health status of their president as a matter of importance, while the presidency as a matter of obligation must disclose the health condition of the president.
According to him, the “padded information” on the acclaimed 10-day vacation of the president, and the death rumour, coupled with a letter for extension of vacation on the day the president billed to return signal a dangerous trend in the polity.”
He charged both the legislature and the judiciary to rise up to the situation and compel the presidency to open up on the medical challenges of the President, as part of their oversight functions and save the nation from further embarrassment.
Owolabi maintained that the country has gone beyond what is being experienced now as regards the medical trip of president Buhari, adding that the era of “executive secrecy ” is no more acceptable to the citizenry.
“The presidency by its position on president Buhari’s health issue is retrogressive and dangerous to our polity, Femi Adesina categorically erred by his statement on Monday, has he forgotten that president Buhari is a public figure, with statutory obligation of public life.
” Telling Nigerians that the president reserves the right to disclose his health condition is nothing but a blunder, it is indeed an aberration of sort, and affront on Nigerian sensibility, it is unbecoming of a man of Femi.
“Nigerians should not be made to go through this executive secrecy again, the country has gone beyond this primitive and analogue style of governance, where citizens are kept in the dark on matter of national importance.
” Before calling for unconstitutional doctrine of necessity,the legislative and judiciary organs of government must collectively exercise their oversight functions and compel the presidency to come out plain on what is happening to the president at the moment and stop taking people for granted.
“As an organisation, the sustainable peace and tranquility of our country remain paramount to us, it is indeed not negotiable on any ground, ” Owolabi said.
Comments