Lawyer Drags Buhari To Court Over Foreign Medical Care

*Says Trips Violate National Health Act

A lawyer, Deji Enisenyin, has instituted a court case against
President Muhammadu Buhari, stating that he was violating
provisions of the National Health Act, 2014 by his penchant for
foreign medical trips.

Enisenyin, who filed a suit marked FHC/AB/CS/51/21 at the
Federal High Court, Abeokuta, contended that the president
specifically breached the provisions of Section 46 of the said act
being a public officer.

He, therefore, sought an order of court declaring that the
funding of Buhari’s medical trip on March 30, 2021, without the
recommendation of the Medical Board and approval of the Minister of
Health “is a flagrant violation of the provisions of Section 46 of
the National Health Act, 2014, Act No. 8, A 139 – 172.”

Interestingly, the legal action was instituted amid media
reports that President Buhari was billed to proceed to London,
United Kingdom on Friday, for a scheduled medical follow-up and was
due back in the country during the second week of July 2021. The
Presidency later announced a cancellation of the planned medical
trip.

In an originating summons supported with a 26-paragraph
affidavit deposed to at the Federal High Court of Nigeria, Abeokuta
Judicial Division on June 15, 2021, Enisenyin is seeking a
declaration that the president is a public officer envisaged by
Section 46 of the National Health Act, 2014, Act No. 8, A 139 –
172.

Buhari was listed as first defendant in a copy of the suit
sighted by Sunday Sun, while the Attorney-General of the
Federation, Abubakar Malami (SAN); President of the Senate Ahmad
Lawan, and the National Assembly were joined as second, third and
fourth defendants respectively.

In his application, the plaintiff stated that Section 46 of the
National Health Act, 2014 provides that, “without prejudice to the
right of any Nigerian to seek medical check-up, investigation or
treatment anywhere within and outside Nigeria, no public officer of
the Government of the Federation or any part thereof shall be
sponsored for medical check-up, investigation or treatment abroad
at public expense except in exceptional cases on the recommendation
and referral by the medical board and which recommendation or
referral shall be duly approved by the Minister or the Commissioner
as the case may be.”

*Says Trips Violate National Health Act

A lawyer, Deji Enisenyin, has instituted a court case against
President Muhammadu Buhari, stating that he was violating
provisions of the National Health Act, 2014 by his penchant for
foreign medical trips.

Enisenyin, who filed a suit marked FHC/AB/CS/51/21 at the
Federal High Court, Abeokuta, contended that the president
specifically breached the provisions of Section 46 of the said act
being a public officer.

He, therefore, sought an order of court declaring that the
funding of Buhari’s medical trip on March 30, 2021, without the
recommendation of the Medical Board and approval of the Minister of
Health “is a flagrant violation of the provisions of Section 46 of
the National Health Act, 2014, Act No. 8, A 139 – 172.”

Interestingly, the legal action was instituted amid media
reports that President Buhari was billed to proceed to London,
United Kingdom on Friday, for a scheduled medical follow-up and was
due back in the country during the second week of July 2021. The
Presidency later announced a cancellation of the planned medical
trip.

In an originating summons supported with a 26-paragraph
affidavit deposed to at the Federal High Court of Nigeria, Abeokuta
Judicial Division on June 15, 2021, Enisenyin is seeking a
declaration that the president is a public officer envisaged by
Section 46 of the National Health Act, 2014, Act No. 8, A 139 –
172.

Buhari was listed as first defendant in a copy of the suit
sighted by Sunday Sun, while the Attorney-General of the
Federation, Abubakar Malami (SAN); President of the Senate Ahmad
Lawan, and the National Assembly were joined as second, third and
fourth defendants respectively.

In his application, the plaintiff stated that Section 46 of the
National Health Act, 2014 provides that, “without prejudice to the
right of any Nigerian to seek medical check-up, investigation or
treatment anywhere within and outside Nigeria, no public officer of
the Government of the Federation or any part thereof shall be
sponsored for medical check-up, investigation or treatment abroad
at public expense except in exceptional cases on the recommendation
and referral by the medical board and which recommendation or
referral shall be duly approved by the Minister or the Commissioner
as the case may be.”