The Coalition of Civil Society Organizations for Good Governance has claimed that the several calls by some Nigerians for President Muhammadu Buhari’s resignation over his health issues is tantamount to civilian coup against him.
The group, at a two day Consultative General Assembly held in Abuja during the week stated that since the president has not told anybody he is unfit to lead, no one should force him out of power.
The group made up of representatives of 40 CSOs, which included the New Initiative for Credible Leadership, the Advocates of Social Justice for All, Lawyers of Mercy, Media Without Border, Beyond Leadership Legacy Foundation, described the calls for Buhari’s resignation as distraction to the current government.
The group, in a statement jointly signed by its Secretary, Joyce Adamu and Rev Steven Onwu, Chairman, Communique Drafting Committee passed a vote of confidence on the president to continue to oversee the nation’s political affairs.
The statement said, “In the past days, several notable persons have breached decorum to make demands that have no anchor in the Nigerian Constitution (as amended) like asking the president to take a medical leave.
“These calls are equivalent of civilian coup attempts since they are aimed at forcing President Buhari out of office over ill health that can befall anyone.
The people making the demands based such on hearsay and rumors published as exclusive stories by less than credible online sites,” the statement added.
The statement further noted that no organ of state is currently suffering directly or indirectly as a result of Buhari’s health situation, adding that able appointees the president were running the various aspects they are entrusted with successfully.
“In the same space of time that wicked rumors are flying around, wife of the President Mrs. Aisha Buhari declared that the severity of her husband’s health was being blown out of proportion.
“Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Mr. Godwin Emefiele briefed the President on the apex bank’s currency management and relayed how the Forex stability excited President Buhari. Such brief could only have been presented to a lucid and healthy person.
“There is also no iota of constitutional crisis so far created by the ill health of the president as being propounded by some critics,” the statement further stated.
While calling on Nigerians to continue to pray for Buhari for quick recovery, the groups warned some them against spreading false story on the health of the president.
“We urge Nigerians to pray so that God will grant the President quick recovery and the country healing from the wounds inflicted by saboteurs.
“We also want to caution those spreading falsehood to desist from such especially in view of the negative consequences their action can have on citizens’ morale nationwide.
“Reactions based on this falsehood, like pressuring the president to proceed on medical leave, must be discontinued. Nigerians should only respond base on facts as conjectures would only complicate things for the country,” the group warned.
Source – Vanguard
