Femi Falana, human
rights lawyer and senior advocate of Nigeria, says it was illegal for the
national assembly to increase the 2017 budget, and as such, Acting President
Yemi Osinbajo should not sign the document.
Falana said the national assembly lacked the constitutional powers
to increase the budget presented by the president.
Speaking in Ilorin, Kwara state, during a colloquium organised by
the Movement for Genuine Change, he also said that President Muhammadu Buhari
cannot exercise his powers while on vacation, having handed over to Osinbajo.
He said: “The President is not competent to sign any bill into law
while he is on vacation. The constitution did not envisage that a President who
is on a vacation and an acting president, who is standing proxy for him will be
exercising presidential powers simultaneously.
“To that extent, pending the resumption of duties by President
Buhari, the Acting President, Prof. Osinbajo, is competent to sign all bills
validly passed by the NASS.
“If President Buhari did not exercise powers during his vacation
even though he was in the country, why would he want to do so while he is on
medical vacation abroad?
“Instead of dissipating energy over the competence of an
appropriation bill signed into law by the Acting President, Nigerians should
subject the 2017 budget to scrutiny.
“We are therefore calling on the Acting President of the Federal
Republic of Nigeria, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, who is a professor of law not to
endorse and sign the illegal appropriation bill of 2017 into law.”
Falana also called on chief of army staff, Tukur Buratai, to fish
out potential coup plotters and their civilian collaborators who are seeking to
capitalise on the president’s ill health.
“While the decision of the Army chief to alert the nation of the
devilish plot is appreciated, the authorites should proceed to fish out the
coup plotters and their civilian collaborators with a view to trying them for
treasonable felony,” he said.
-The Cable
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