Politics

Sick Leave: Nigerians Have Right To Know Buhari’s Health Status – Reps

Published

7 years ago

February 8, 2017

SOME members of the House of Representatives yesterday declared that Nigerians have the right to know the health status of President Muhammadu Buhari.

They, however, prayed for the quick recovery of the President.

In his view, chairman, Committee on Public Accounts, Kingsley Chinda, PDP Rivers, said: “There’s need for the government to give us a blow by blow account of Mr President’s condition truly and not Lai Mohammed’s type of accounts.

“As of right, Nigerians are entitled to know the state of their President’s health at all times because he’s fed with our money, he’s sustained with our money, we pay his medical bills, he belongs to us, he’s our property and we have a right to know his state at all times.

Speaking in a similar vein, chairman, Committee on Public Petitions, Uzoma Nkem-Abonta, PDP, Ukwa East/West Fed Constituency, Abia, said the absence of Buhari from office, due to a prolonged ailment, was justified because he followed due process by informing both legislative chambers.

The Abia lawmaker explained: “Mr President’s absence from office is in line with the law of nature because anybody could fall ill anytime, even you can travel and fall ill outside the country.

“I do not see any implication in the extended vacation as all we need to do now is to pray for his quick recovery because he’s state property as it is now.

“Nigerians should go on their knees to pray for him to recover and take back his mantle of leadership in piloting the affairs of the nation.

“He has officially written to NASS though we’ve not seen copies because we adjourned plenary but then he owes us no details since he has satisfied our constitutional requirements.’’

In his comments, Daniel Reyenieju, PDP, Warri Fed Constituency, simply said: “There is nothing wrong with being sick because it’s a natural phenomenon about life.

“But what I’m worried about is the manner the information around Mr President was managed because Nigerians are so eager to know the state of his health. And we are all aware of the fact that this is not the first time a Nigerian president is falling ill in office.’’