President Umaru Musa Yar’adua’s deteriorating health has been causing concern throughout the Nigerian government for some time now, and after being out of the country for 78 days, it seems to have finally gotten to a point where the rest of the government is finally starting to try to push other options, with impeachment at the top of their thoughts.
Section 143 of Nigeria’s constitution demands that the President should transmit a medical vacation letter to the National Assembly to enable Vice President Goodluck Jonathan act as president in his absence” within a reasonable amount of time, and the state governors feel that that time frame has passed. State governors want the Senate to pass a resolution declaring Vice President Goodluck Jonathan to be Acting President, though this kind of act is not mentioned in the Constitution at all. Due to the President’s failure to comply with the Senate’s resolution, they will be sitting again in the near future to decide on what further action to take.
There were plans of swearing the Vice President in today (2/9/10), but the constitution does not provide for this power, and even if the motion to have him sworn in is passed, it will not make it a law and will therefore be unconstitutional. Goodluck Jonathan cannot become Acting President through a motion. The Senate will have to continue to meet and try to think of different, viable solutions to the President’s continued absence.
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The question is here is how much religion is playing a part in it. The country obviously needs stability, but how many of those governors think that a christian president is the best way for that to occur?
ReplyDeletethey all submitted a letter of approval when he was made president last week. who knows what that actually signifies though.
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