Nigerians protest in demand of Buhari's resignation

By Rafiu Ajakaye

LAGOS, Nigeria (AA) - A coalition of civil society organizations on Monday commenced a daily sit-out in capital Abuja demanding Nigeria's President Muhammadu Buhari, who is currently in London to treat an unknown disease, either return or resign from office.

"A country as big as Nigeria cannot continue to have an absentee president. We are calling on President Buhari to either return now, resign from office or be impeached," Deji Adeyanju, convener of the Concerned Citizens which is among the protest organizers, said at the rally.

At least a hundred people attended the protest, including popular local artist and son of a retired supreme court justice, Charles Oputa. The placard-carrying protesters marched to the gate of the Aso Rock where group leaders gave speeches on their mission.

The protesters demanded that Buhari "either personally or through his aides make the true detail of his health known to all Nigerians" and return to the country and resume work "in order to lead us out of the economic and security quagmire we have been pushed into as a nation".

They also called on the president to resign from office if he "fails, refuses and/or neglects to do any of the above", adding he should be impeached by the National Assembly "if he fails to honourably resign".

Buhari left Nigeria on May 7 on a medical vacation but he handed over power to vice president Yemi Osinbajo. Now 92 days later, Buhari has made history as the first Nigerian leader that has stayed the longest time outside the country on a medical leave he personally applied for.

The late president Umaru Yar'Adua, for his part, was reportedly rushed out of the country for medicals in November 2009 and did not return until February 2010.

Earlier this year, Buhari had made a similar medical trip to London where he spent 51 days.