Presidency: No Special Reception Planned for Buhari’s Return
• Dogara: President was cracking jokes
James Emejo and Damilola Oyedele in Abuja
The presidency has revealed that there will be no special reception for President Muhammadu Buhari’s return from medical vacation in London.
Speaking yesterday in Abuja on Arise Television, the sister broadcast arm of THISDAY Newspapers, the Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Mr. Femi Adesina, said there would be no special programme being planned for the president’s return.
He urged Nigerians to be on the alert as the president might soon arrive the country after a medical leave to London.
He, however, failed to give a definite time frame for Buhari’s return, despite being severally pressed by the programme anchor.
Asked why there had been no video evidence to support claims the president is indeed in good health, he said such was not required, given that Buhari had recently had telephone conversation with United States President, Donald Trump, and the fact that he had just received the National Assembly officials led by the Senate President, Senator Bukola Saraki in London.
According to Adesina: “The fact that the president is receiving visitors, the fact that he has spoken with the American president and the fact that he has asked us to tell the world that he’s fine. I think that’s just enough.”
He said: “I wish I could give you a definite date, I really wish but then we just have to hang on to what the president has told us.
“In the letter to the National Assembly, he said ‘as soon as his doctors rule out some things.
“I will just tell Nigerians to stay on the alert and watch and before they know it the president is back.”
He added: “It could be anytime.”
On whether there’s been some signs or preparations in Aso Rock to give an impression of the president’s arrival, Adesina said, “You don’t need much preparation; I will yell you what will happen.”
According to him: “On the morning of a certain day, we will just receive an alert from protocol that the president is on the way. And six hours later, they’ll be here. The president is a simple man.”
Meanwhile, there are indications that President Buhari may have eventually allowed outgoing Minister for Environment, Amina Mohammed, out of his cabinet after a tough decision.
Mohammed had sought to quit the cabinet following her recent appointment as Deputy UN Secretary General.
According to Adesina: “In the cabinet, we are actually sorry to see her go. It was a tough decision. The president himself had to concede, had to ask her to go.
“It was tough for her personally, it was tough for the entire cabinet. I will tell you, Amina Mohammed is one of the poster girls, if I can use that word, in the administration; sharp and brilliant.
“I can imagine the dilemma she’s been in but she’s going to the global stage and it’s good for Nigeria.”
He added that despite the president being away, “government runs seamlessly, everything goes on as usual. The only thing is that the president is away on vacation and running some medical tests: every other thing in the Villa is normal.”
Meanwhile, following his visit to Buhari in London, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Yakubu Dogara, has said the president is fit as a fiddle, and was cracking jokes with his visitors.
Dogara, alongside Senate President Bukola Saraki, and the Majority Leader of the Senate, Senator Ahmed Lawan, had visited Buhari in London, on Wednesday.
Dogara on his twitter handle @YakubDogara yesterday, said: “After burning national issues, it was all PMB’s vintage humorous jokes. I’m so elated he is as fit as a fiddle.”
Buhari is on a medical vacation in London, and was expected to resume on February 6, 2017. In a letter to the leadership of the National Assembly however, the president communicated his desire to extend his leave, to conclude a cycle of medical tests.
The development has led to speculations about his state of health.
