Posted on: 12:42 Wed, 08 Jun 2016



Former President of the West
African Bar Association (WABA)
and human rights activist, Femi
Falana (SAN), has supported
President Muhammadu Buhari’s
decision to see Ear, Nose and
Throat (E.N.T) specialists during his
vacation in London.

The president on Monday began a
10-day vacation in London during
which he will see E.N.T specialists
for what the
Presidency said was a “persistent
ear infection”.

The decision to see specialists in a
foreign country did not go down
well with some Nigerians,
especially the immediate past
national president of the Nigeria
Medical Association (NMA) and
Vice President, Commonwealth
Medical Association, Osahon
Enabulele, who described it as “a
national shame”.

According to Enabulele, there were
enough qualified E.N.T specialists
in the country that could have
attended to Buhari’s ailment
instead of seeking treatment
abroad.

But Mr. Falana said there was
nothing wrong in the president’s
medical trip abroad, stressing that
rather than condemnation, he
(Buhari) should be commended for
being honest and doing the right
thing – handing over to Vice
President Yemi Osinbajo to act in
his absence – before traveling on
vacation.

The senior lawyer argued that Mr.
Buhari is entitled to a month
annual leave as president “and he
has taken the appropriate action by
asking for leave and handing over
to the vice president as required by
law unlike a governor, who
abandoned his duty post in
solidarity with striking workers
without handover (sic) to his
deputy”, in veiled remark directed
at Governor Ayo Fayose of Ekiti
State.

Mr. Falana added that “if I were the
president, I would take a month
because he is entitled to one month
leave in a year”.

Speaking further, the rights activist
said it is normal for the president
to take leave of absence, recalling
that “even General (Ibrahim)
Babangida, as a young man and
military president, went away for
over a month. It is not unusual
because he is not a stone. You can
appreciate President Buhari for
being honest about it”.

Falana added that “anybody can
fall sick but the most important
thing for somebody like him to do
is hand over to his deputy so that
the nation or state will not suffer,
which he has done. That’s all!”