After 32 days abroad, President Muhammadu Buhari is going to stay longer to rest, his office has said.
He left for London on January 19, announcing to the National Assembly that he would be gone for a 10-day leave. When that period was due, he sent in another letter to the National Assembly stating that he would be away longer for an unspecified period to conduct further medical tests.
A statement Tuesday from his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Mr. Femi Adesina, reads: “President Muhammadu Buhari thanks millions of Nigerians who have been sending good wishes and praying for his health and well-being in mosques and churches throughout the country.
“The President is immensely grateful for the prayers, show of love and concern.
“President Buhari wishes to reassure Nigerians that there is no cause for worry.
“During his normal annual checkup, tests showed he needed a longer period of rest, necessitating the President staying longer than longer than originally planned.”
Adesina later had a question and answer session with journalists. Below is an excerpt:
Tell us more on the Statement you issued?
Adesina: “The President wants Nigerians to know that he appreciates their prayers. He appreciates their concerns and their goodwill. He has added that there is really no cause to worry. He is the one who owns the body and there is nobody who will know his body more than him and he says no cause to worry. It makes sense to say that maybe from the results of the tests, further rest had been recommended. The statement did not say how long the rest will last.
“I speak for somebody, I do not speak for myself. So it is what he tells me to say that I say and the statement transmitted to me is that the President needs to rest for some further time.
What is actually wrong with the President?
Adesina: Don’t you know that the Hippocratic Oath even forbids a doctor from speaking about the condition of his patient except the patient authorizes it? It is only the patient himself who can speak about what he is going through. This is the person going through these series of tests and rest and he says no cause to worry, let us believe that.
Why have they been harassing Journalists who have been trying to reach the President in UK?
Adesina: I do not consider that an harassment. Presidents are not hijacked and interviewed. Those things are scheduled. So, I do not consider that as harassment.
Confirm the reports that he may remain there for months
Adesina: What we have just said is what I will want us to believe. The President said he needs to rest further. The same President that communicated that to us, when it is time for him to come, he will also communicate to us.
There are claims that the President has lost his voice.
Adesina: Those people need to prove it. He spoke with President Trump. Did Trump say he did not speak with Nigerian President. Anybody can allege anything.
