Nigeria is now the world butt of jokes as Washingtonpost has joined CNN in mocking the president.

CNN’s Fareed Zakaria had asked which president has been away for over two months.

Washington post joined CNN, calling Buhari a liar.

Here is an excerpt:

Buhari has been gone for months. The last Nigerian president absent this long died in office.

Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari has been out of the country since May 7, seeking medical care in London. He has not disclosed the nature of his condition, and official updates about him have been rare.

It was only last week that the government released a photo of Buhari, the first image of him since he left Nigeria. This is Buhari’s second medical leave to the United Kingdom this year; his previous trip was nearly two-months long.

Buhari’s poor health and absence from the country raises questions about who governs when presidents get sick. Some research I’ve done about presidential ill health in Africa – and in Nigeria specifically – shows how important constitutions can be in dealing with sick presidents.

Unfortunately, for Nigerians, Buhari’s condition is a bit of deja vu.

Everyone gets sick – even presidents – but in 2010, an ill Nigerian president died in office.

Suffering from kidney and heart problems, former Nigerian president Umaru Yar’Adua sought emergency treatment in Saudi Arabia in November 2009. Yar’Adua returned to Nigeria in February 2010, but he died in office just three months after his return.

Following Yar’Adua’s death in office, his Vice President Goodluck Jonathan assumed the presidency, which is consistent with Nigeria’s constitution. More specifically, Section 146 of the Nigerian constitution (1999) states:

“The Vice-President shall hold the office of President if the office of President becomes vacant by reason of death or resignation, impeachment, permanent incapacity or the removal of the President from office for any other reason.”

Rules on succession following presidential death are not uncommon in African constitutions.

In an article I wrote with University of Malawi political scientist Boniface Dulani, we examined what happens when African presidents die in office. We surveyed all deaths in office since independence and we examined closely successions following the deaths in office of Umaru Yar’Adua in Nigeria in 2010, Levy Mwanawasa in Zambia in 2008 and Bingu wa Mutharika in Malawi in 2012.

Mutharika’s death in office and the initial uncertainty surrounding succession in Malawi prompted us in 2012 to look at other African cases. The timing was rather auspicious, as 2012 was the year when four African leaders died in office: Mutharika of Malawi, Meles Zenawi of Ethiopia, John Atta Mills of Ghana and Malam Bacai Sanhá of Guinea Bissau.

Our research identified 11 deaths in office of African leaders between 2008 and 2012. In nine of those 11 cases, the succession followed constitutional procedures, typically the transfer of power from the leader to his deputy. (The two others were a coup d’état in Guinea in 2008 and a revolution in Libya in 2011.) Constitutional succession is much more common today than in the period between independence and the third wave of democratization in Africa (1960 to 1990), when presidential deaths were often followed by a coup d’état or the military appointing a new leader. Our findings are consistent with work by political scientists Daniel Posner and Daniel Young, who show that political institutions became more important than personal relationships in shaping African politics after the third wave of democratization.

Although rules about succession are important, our research showed that a leader’s death did not necessarily lead to uncertainty about succession.

Uncertainty and inaction were more likely in cases of poor presidential health.

Like in the case of Yar’Adua in Nigeria, Zambia’s Levy Mwanawasa had a prolonged absence from his country while still holding the office and responsibilities of being president. He had a stroke in June 2008 and it is unclear whether he engaged in any governing after that stroke and before his death in a French hospital on Aug. 19, 2008.

In Nigeria – like in Zambia and Malawi – there are provisions in the constitution for when a president is too ill to carry out official duties. For example, Nigeria’s constitution (specifically, Section 144) stipulates that the president “shall cease to hold office” if a two-thirds majority of the Federal Executive Council declares that he is “incapable of discharging the functions of his office”; such a declaration would have to be verified by a panel of five medical experts.

In our research, however, we did not come across many African examples when constitutional provisions for medical incapacity were invoked. One example emerged during Yar’Adua’s long absence: Nigeria’s senate voted on Feb. 9, 2010, to delegate presidential responsibilities to Jonathan and make him acting president. However, there was never a declaration by a panel of medical experts that Yar’Adua was unfit to govern, and he returned to Nigeria on Feb. 24, 2010, and resumed his office and duties

Despite the similarities between Buhari and Yar’ Adua ’ s long medical holidays , there is an important difference .
Before he left the country to seek medical treatment , Yar’ Adua did not deputize his vice president to be acting president. Because he did not deputize Jonathan during his absence , there was a lot of uncertainty about who was in charge and even fear of a coup .

Buhari , on the other hand , deputized his vice president , Yemi Osinbajo , as acting president before he left to seek medical care . Although the rumor mill during Buhari ’ s absence is just as vibrant as it was during Yar ’ Adua ’ s absence , there is no uncertainty about who is governing . Nigerian and international media refer to Osinbajo as the acting president and report on how he is governing .



In an interview with the BBC , Nigerian Governor Rochas Okorocha was optimistic about Buhari ’ s recovery and forthcoming return to Nigeria , saying he expects it will happen in the next two weeks. Nevertheless, Buhari ’ s prolonged absence and ill health raise important questions about who rules when a president is sick . Although formal rules stipulate what should happen , the rules need powerful people to engage them .


http://newsrescue.com/buhari-liar-washington-post-joins-cnn-mock-nigeria-says-buhari-gone-months-medical-tourism/

I just wish Buhari a long life. He should live and suffer. Death would be so cheap, so easy. Why die when he can live and suffer? He brought suffering, penury, misery, upon Nigerians, he should suffer too. Let the sickness eat him deep inside. Let it devour him from within. Let it kill him slowly and painfully. Yes, i wish my president long life, he doesn't deserve to die, not yet. #LongLiveBaba

foolish people that's why trump hates them, they were not talking bout Nigeria before, but after the president's picture surfaced online, the people that wanted him dead moved to phase two. They have started the second phase with CNN. CNN was brided to do this.

again I don't support the current government and I dont support (kanu's)biafra

No matter what NIGERIA WILL ALWAYS STAND STRONG, DONT GIVE A Bleep TO ANYONE WHO THINKS NIGERIA IS A BAD COUNTRY, YES she is in a poor state and we would help her up. LONG LIVE NIGERIA, HONOUR AND RESPECT TO HER CITIZENS.

the real revolution

Let me completel it's for them , Buhari is not just a liar but a very visionless liar whose poor thought process has brought the Nigerian economy to its knees

I apologized to Nigerians unbehave of Mr. President.

We don't blame them.

Seun mynd44 Come see o come see come and see what Sai Baba has caused come and see what Baba has done for us.

Another achievement

I am not surprised... He who deeps his hands in his but hole should expect some odor on his finger when he brings it out

this is too bad for this country. the wizards from wastelands has used Nigeria to perform thier Ogbidi sacrifices. APC is the worst thing ever to happen in this country. . thanks to that ewedu soup conehead tinubu who gambled this country away with his wizardry condiment....

All they are trying to do is to make him resign.

Our president.

Buhari can meet and discuss with people but cannot call Nigerians or say a word in broadcast.

If only he can resign and they divide this country into 6.

Just step out of nigeria and then go back, you'll realise how pitiful the condition of nigeria and nigerians are. I weep for my country anytime i visit.

Lies was the foundation of this government and it's not surprising that their 'talk-talk person' is 'LIE MOHAMMED.

Nevertheless, Buhari ’ s prolonged absence and ill health raise important questions about who rules when a president is sick. Although formal rules stipulate what should happen , the rules need powerful people to engage them

Our constitution has stated clearly what should happen but the powerful people will never follow the law because it is not in their favour.

All those that have made or are making the country suffer unnecessarily, may God's wrath fall open them and the generation unborn,amen

u wan give sarrki sleepless night abi?

OVER TO AFONJA MUSLIM SLAVES

ediama:
I apologized to Nigerians unbehave of Mr. President.

We don't blame them.

Unbe wetin?

From junketeering to permanent resident.. Buhari is a failure

Where's Sarrki to defend his dying master

abeg make una show me where they called buhari a liar in the body of this article maybe i missed it