The Presidency has maintained sealed lips regarding the precise date President Muhammadu Buhari will return from his medical vacation in London.
This is even as President Buhari’s stay at the Nigeria House in the United Kingdom hits 32 days today.
President Buhari left for London on January 19, for what the Presidency, at that time, called a short leave.
He was scheduled to return from his 10-day holiday on February 5 and resume work the following day, but he later extended his stay in London “in order to complete and receive results of a series of tests recommended by his doctors.”
Since President Buhari’s departure, the vice president, Professor Yemi Osinbajo, has been acting as president.
When contacted by our correspondent yesterday, the Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Mr Femi Adesina, declined disclosing the exact date his principal would return to the country.
The presidential spokesman, however, stated that President Buhari would not sneak into the country.
Asked whether a date had been fixed for the president’s return to Nigeria, Adesina said: “The entire Nigeria is the constituency of President Muhammadu Buhari. The President will not sneak in. His return to the country will not be a secret thing. When the president returns, the whole country will know.”
When President Buhari was leaving Abuja, the Presidency had disclosed that he would undergo routine medical check-ups during his vacation.
The Presidency had, on several occasions, dismissed insinuations that President Buhari was ill and receiving treatment in a hospital in London.
Acting President Yemi Osinbajo, had on February 6, in an interview with State House correspondents, disclosed that he spoke to the president on the telephone, saying he (Buhari) was in good shape and would return soon. Osinbajo had, however, noted that only President Buhari could disclose his health status.
President Buhari from London spoke to his American counterpart, Donald Trump, on the telephone at the request of the latter last Monday.
Top government officials had gone to the United Kingdom to visit President Muhammadu Buhari.
Last Wednesday, President Buhari received Senate President Abubakar Bukola Saraki, House of Representatives Speaker Yakubu Dogara and Senate Leader Ahmed Lawan in the UK.
The president later that day wrote in his official twitter handle, @MBuhari, that he was pleased to receive the trio. Buhari also thanked all Nigerians for their prayers and kind wishes.
The visit of the National Assembly leaders was preceded by that of two chieftains of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), Ahmed Bola Tinubu and Chief Bisi Akande.
The Presidency had on January 27 released a photograph of Ogun State Governor Ibikunle Amosun’s visit to the president in London.
On January 29, the Presidency released photographs of the president and his wife, Aisha. The following day, another photograph showing Vice President Yemi Osinbajo’s mother and wife together with Buhari and Aisha was released.
