Human Rights Activists Barrister Inibehe Effiong has stated that President-Elect Bola Ahmed Tinubu does not have any constitutional right to exercise the function of the Office of the President or any Executive function before his inauguration or sweating into office.
Speaking on Twitter after the departure of Tinubu on Wednesday afternoon for Europe on a ‘working visit’ just a few weeks before his swearing-in and inauguration, Barrister Inibehe made it clear that Mr. Tinubu cannot speak on behalf of the country as he has not taken the oath of office.
Drawing attention to Section 140 (1) of the 1999 Constitution which 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 the Oath of Allegiance and the oath of office prescribed in the Seventh Schedule to this Constitution,” he stated that ‘working visit’ means that he was acting on official duties.
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. https://t.co/nIX1Vkyvwf
— Inibehe Effiong (@InibeheEffiong) May 10, 2023
Meanwhile, a statement by Tunde Rahman from the office of the President-Elect, revealed that the former Lagos State Governor will ‘use the opportunity of the trip to finetune the transition plans and programs, and his policy options with some of his key aides without unnecessary pressures and distractions.’
The statement reads in part;” During the visit, the President-elect will engage with investors and other key allies with the goal of marketing investment opportunities in the country and his administration’s readiness to enable a business-friendly climate through policies and regulations.
Already, meetings with multi-sectoral actors in Europe’s business community including manufacturing, agriculture, tech, and energy have been lined up.
Asíwájú Tinubu hopes to convince them of Nigeria’s readiness to do business under his leadership through mutually-beneficial partnerships premised on job creation and skills acquisition.
Reviving the country’s economy forms a major plank of Tinubu’s Renewed Hope agenda and the meeting is part of his efforts to re-establish Nigeria’s importance in the global economic chain and create empowering opportunities for the country’s huge youth population.
The President-elect has hitherto promised to hit the ground running and the visit is reflective of his commitment to the promise as he has already begun talks with global actors in the important areas of the economy and security.
Before he left the country, Asíwájú Tinubu met with the House of Representatives candidates for Speaker and Deputy Speaker endorsed by his party, the All Progressives Congress, Hon. Tajudeen Abbas, and Hon. Benjamin Kalu, who were presented to him by the Joint Task Team of the House.
He is scheduled to return shortly for preparations towards his official swearing-in as the 16th President of the country on May 29, 2023.”
