A human rights lawyer, Inibehe Effiong, has slammed the president-elect, Bola Tinubu, over his planned meeting with investors in Europe.
OsunDaily News earlier reported that Tinubu departed the country via the Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos on Wednesday afternoon on a working visit to Europe.
According to a statement by his media aide, Tunde Rahman, the president-elect will use the opportunity of the trip to finetune the transition plans and programmes, and his policy options with some of his key aides without unnecessary pressures and distractions.
The statement added that the former Governor of Lagos State is expected to hold meetings with investors while in Europe.
It disclosed that Tinubu would return to the country shortly before his swearing in as the 16th president of the country on May 29.
Reacting in a series of tweets via his Twitter handle on Wednesday, Effiong said Tinubu does not have the constitutional standing and authority to exercise the functions of the office of President or any executive function whatsoever.
The lawyer noted that the president-elect has not taken oath of office and cannot be meeting with investors on behalf of the country.
Effiong, therefore, said the statement that Tinubu is traveling to Europe on a working visit is a lie and an attempt to deceive Nigerians.
He also wondered why the former Lagos governor is going to Europe to finetune transition plans, saying that the decision is quite irresponsible and utterly needless.
He wrote: “Tinubu does not have the constitutional standing and authority to exercise the functions of the office of President or any executive function whatsoever. He has not taken oath of office and cannot be meeting with investors on behalf of the country. Another season of LIES loading.
“Why is it so difficult for politicians in this country to be honest with citizens about their health status? When will this contemptible way of treating Nigerians end?
“Why is he going to Europe to “finetune transition plans”? That’s quite irresponsible and utterly needless. European leaders and politicians do not come to Africa to plan the affairs of their countries. We are in trouble in this country.
“Section 140 (1) of the 1999 Constitution provides as follows: ‘A person elected to the office of President shall not begin to perform the functions of that office until he has declared his assets and liabilities as prescribed in this Constitution and he has taken and subscribed to the Oath of Allegiance and the oath of office… prescribed in the Seventh Schedule to this Constitution.’
“This lie is unnecessary and irritating. Why can’t Tibunu admit that he is sick and has traveled out of the country again for medical treatment? The disdain for citizens of this country by politicians is unparalleled.
““A working visit” presupposes that he is acting in an official capacity. He cannot do that without subscribing to the oath of office and oath of allegiance as stated in the Constitution. He must also declare his assets before he can perform the functions of the office.”
