Buhari Shifts Date Of Return To Nigeria Indefinitely

The growing anxiety over President Muhammadu Buhari’s health in the United Kingdom heightened over the weekend when he wrote to the National Assembly that he has shifted the date of his return to Nigeria indefinitely.

The President was scheduled to return to Abuja on Sunday after about two weeks of vacation and medical check-up in London. However, in a press statement yesterday, the President’s media adviser, Mr. Femi Adesina, said that Buhari had informed the National Assembly that he would stay back for some test results recommended by his doctors.

In the statement, Adesina stated: “President Muhammed Buhari has written to the National Assembly today, February 5, 2017, informing them of his desire to extend his leave in order to complete and receive the results of a series of tests recommended by his doctors.” He came out later in the day to speak more on the President’s health status.

Speaking to Seun Okinbaloye on Channels TV, Femi Adesina made the following clarifications: “The situation now is that series of tests have been conducted and his doctors have advised that he stays back so that the cycle can be completed.”

Adesina explained further: “There’s medical doctor-patient confidentiality. No doctor will reveal his patient’s state of health to you as an individual.”

On whether he is aware of the President’s health status, Adesina said: “I am not aware of the President’s health status, but if there is anything serious, the onus lies on the President to disclose or not to disclose. But, when his doctor gives him a clean bill of health, he will return.”

Signs that President Buhari would not return as scheduled began to appear later in the day when the relevant Presidency officials could not be specific to journalists regarding the time of arrival of the President. It was also observed that the protocol and security units of the Presidency which usually do not take such arrivals lightly, had not made any visible arrangements to receive the President at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja.