The Presidency has explained why the President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), returned from Kenya to Nigeria on Friday.
Nigerians had expected him to go directly to the United Kingdom for his medical check-up after the United Nations Environmental Programme at 50 in Nairobi, Kenya, as announced by his media aide, Femi Adesina.
Adesina, while announcing Buhari’s Kenya trip, had said the President would proceed from Nairobi after the UNEP event to the UK where he would spend a maximum of two weeks to attend to his health.
“From Kenya, President Buhari will proceed to London for routine medical checks that will last for a maximum of two weeks,” the statement had said.
But instead, the President returned to Nigeria on Friday to the surprise of many, fuelling speculations that he had abandoned the UK trip.
However, the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Mallam Garba Shehu, said the President would still embark on the UK trip.
He said the President was earlier expected to finish his itinerary on Saturday before proceeding to Nigeria, from where he would embark on the UK trip on Sunday.
“The first plan was that the President would end his programme in Kenya on Saturday,” Shehu told NAN.
“Nothing has changed about his planned trip to London; it is still as earlier planned. He will leave for London on Sunday. There’s no need for any anxiety.
“What happened was that the President was able to finish his programme in Nairobi earlier than expected. That’s why he returned on Friday. He will still go to the UK on Sunday.”
While in Kenya, Buhari participated in the Special Session to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the United Nation’s body.
Buhari said, “As we celebrate the 50th anniversary of UNEP’s existence, we laud the efforts of UNEP and encourage broader action to overcome climate change, biodiversity, rising levels of pollution and waste being three major crises threatening our planet.”
The President also met with Mr Ibrahim Thiaw, Executive Secretary of the UN Convention to Combat Desertification in Nairobi.
