Saraki ruled Ohuabunwa out of order, saying, “I think it is a very clear issue and what we should be guided by is the Constitution and I think that it is clear, the letter has referred to the Constitution and there’s no ambiguity in the constitution.”
What could have snowballed into a huge confusion was averted at Tuesday’s Senate plenary as Senate President Bukola Saraki ruled PDP Senator Ohuabunwa (Abia) out of order over the confusion he tended to create with the letter transmitted to the Senate by President Muhammadu Buhari before he left for London on his medical follow-up Saturday night.
The Senate President had at the commencement of the plenary read the President Buhari’s letter dated May 5, 2017 which read thus, “In compliance with section 145 (1) of the 1999 Constitution as amended, I wish to inform the distinguished Senate that I will be away for a scheduled medical follow-up with my doctors in London. The length of my stay will be determined by the doctor’s advice.
“While I am away the Vice President will coordinate the activities of the government. Please accept the distinguished Senate president the assurances of my highest consideration. “
Soon after the letter was read, Senator Mao Ohuabunwa (PDP, Abia) raised a point of order, saying the President letter was ambiguous for not declaring the Vice President as Acting President.
The PDP Senator said, “Mr. President I don’t think in our Constitution we have anything like Coordinating President or Coordinating Vice President. It’s either you are Vice President or you are Acting President and any letter should be unambiguous and very clear.
“So, I’m saying that this letter really does not convey anything because coordinating has no space or any place in our constitution,” Ohuabunwa said.
But he was countered immediately by the Senate Leader, Senator Ahmad Lawan (APC, Yobe), who said there was no ambiguity in the President’s letter.
Lawan said, “I still rely on the first paragraph of that letter, which Mr President wrote to this Senate and read by the president of the Senate. I therefore feel that Mr President has done what the Constitution requires him to do and I urge this Senate not to go ahead to discuss this because it’s not an issue.”
Saraki ruled Ohuabunwa out of order, saying, “I think it is a very clear issue and what we should be guided by is the Constitution and I think that it is clear, the letter has referred to the Constitution and there’s no ambiguity in the constitution.”
