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L-R:
Personal assistant to President Buhari on social media Lauretta Onochie,
information minister Lai Mohammed, Nigeria’s President Muhammadu Buhari and his
spokesmen Femi Adesina and Garba Shehu and senior adviser to the president on
foreign affairs and diaspora Abike Dabiri-Erewa in London on Saturday. Photo:
Facebook/Femi Adesina
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Ailing Nigeria’s
President Muhammadu Buhari Saturday said he is yet to return to the country
because his doctors have not given the go ahead to do so.
“I’ve
learnt to obey my doctor’s orders, rather than be the one issuing the orders,”
Buhari told a delegation of visiting aides at the Abuja House in London. “Here,
the doctor is absolutely in charge.”
One
of his aides who visited him said the 74-year old president was in good spirit.
“Glad to see PMB in very high spirits. And full of his usual humour,” tweeted
Abike Dabiri-Erewa, who is Buhari’s senior adviser on foreign affairs and
diaspora.
Others
who visited him included Nigeria’s information minister Lai Mohammed, spokesmen
Femi Adesina and Garba Shehu, and his personal assistant on social media
Lauretta Onochie.
The President left Nigeria on May 7 for London for a second of treatment for an
undisclosed ailment, transferring power to Vice President Yemi Osinbajo to lead
the most populous African country.
He
had earlier left Nigeria on January 19 for London to “undergo routine medical
check-ups” during a short holiday. He only returned on March 10 after an
extended period of medical treatment.
He
tacitly acknowledged that he was very ill, telling his cabinet members that “I
couldn’t recall being so sick since I was a young man.” He also said he had
“blood transfusions, going to the laboratories and so on and so forth”.
His
absence in Nigeria since May 7 has birthed rounds of protests and calls for him
to resign. But much like his aides, Buhari has consistently said he would only
return to Nigeria on the instruction of his doctors.
“I
feel I could go home, but the doctors are in charge. I’ve now learnt to obey
orders, rather than be obeyed,” he told his aides on Saturday, his spokesman
Femi Adesina said in a statement.
FULL PRESS RELEASE Why I am yet to return to
Nigeria — Buhari
President
Muhammadu Buhari says there is tremendous improvement in his health, indeed, he
wishes to return home, “but I’ve learnt to obey my doctor’s orders, rather than
be the one issuing the orders. Here, the doctor is absolutely in charge.”
The
President spoke while receiving the presidential media team, and the Senior
Special Assistant on Diaspora Matters, at Abuja House, London, on Saturday.
Alhaji Lai Mohammed, Minister of Information and Culture, led the visiting
team, accompanied by Mr Femi Adesina, Special Adviser on Media and Publicity;
Mallam Garba Shehu, Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, and
Lauretta Onochie, Personal Assistant on Digital/Online Media. Also there was
Mrs Abike Dabiri-Erewa, Senior Special Assistant on Diaspora Matters.
When
the team expressed delight at the much improved health of the President, he
retorted: “I feel I could go home, but the doctors are in charge. I’ve now
learnt to obey orders, rather than be obeyed.”
On
how he felt hearing different conjectures about his health, an amused President
Buhari said he followed events at home closely, lauding Nigerian television
stations, and the media generally, for keeping him informed.
When
told that prayers were going on fervently for him, not only in Nigeria, but all
over Africa, and round the world, a delighted President said: “What we did in
The Gambia early this year fetched us a lot of goodwill on the African
continent. It gave us a lot of latitude. I thank all those who are praying. May
God reward them.”
President
Buhari sent appreciation to all Nigerians, expressing hope that he would be
with them soon.
FEMI
ADESINA
Special
Adviser to the President,
Media
and Publicity
August
12, 2017.
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