By Jimitota Onoyume
PORT HARCOURT — FOR the nation not to grind to a halt, Professor of Political Science, Kimse Okoko, has called for Vice President Goodluck Jonathan to be made an Acting President until such a time President Musa Yar’Adua was strong enough to assume responsi-bilities as President of Nigeria.
Kimse, who spoke in an exclusive interview with Vanguard yesterday, said it was unacceptable for the country to continue to run without a president that could take constitutional decisions for the country.

He wondered who would give the orders if there was threat of military invasion of the country.

Okoko disagreed with calls for outright sack of the President on account of his health challenges because, according to him, anybody can be sick at any time.

“I don’t think it is proper for anybody to say because an individual is sick he should be divested of his functions and positions,” Okoko stated.

“Suppose the person gets well and comes back. I think the fair and just thing is for us to allow him have his treatment and come back.

“Now if he comes back, it is found he cant withstand the strain of office, then at that point people can now say look this individual is no longer capable of running the office, therefore, he should resign.

“If I were the individual, I won’t wait for somebody to tell me that I am not capable of functioning. I will on my own resign because I know I am no longer capable of functioning the way I should.

“Now that should be after the person had been treated. I think it is not fair to call for his resignation while still on his sick bed. Because as I said, supposing he fully recovers, would it be fair? I don’t think so.

“But the other issue is that should he not, at least, temporarily hand over power to his next in command, there I will agree completely with those who have been saying he should hand over in line with the provisions of the constitution.

“The situation we have found ourselves is so messy; he should have at least allowed his next in command take charge of the country until he returns. And whenever he comes back, he takes back his job.

“What is happening in the country now is very terrible. It is a country without any head.  There is no C in C. Suppose we are attacked by another country, who will give the orders?

“He is in a sick bed in a far away country. Is it the Chief Justice of Nigeria that will act on his behalf? Clearly, this situation is unacceptable and it is an uncanny way of subverting the constitution of the country”