• Femi Falana
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!”
