BUHARI TO NIGERIANS:Don’t expect me back
yet; no cause for alarm
By Clifford Ndujihe, Henry Umoru, Dapo
Akinrefon, Charles Kumolu, Gbenga Oke &
Levinus Nwabughiogu
ABUJA – PRESIDENT Muhammadu Buhari has
said that he needs a longer time to rest in
London, United Kingdom, where he is on
medical vacation.
The President said his need for further rest is
necessitated by the series of medical tests
conducted on him.
Expressing gratitude to Nigerians, who had
been praying for him, he, however, said there
is no cause for alarm.
President Muhammadu Buhari during October
12 ,2016 Federal Executive Council meeting.
The President’s appreciation was contained in
a brief statement by his Special Adviser on
Media and Publicity, Mr. Femi Adesina,
yesterday.
The polity was awash with mixed reactions,
yesterday, following President Buhari’s
comments that he needs a longer time to rest
in London. While some okayed further rest for
him, others urged the presidency to be open
about Buhari’s health status and stop taking
Nigerians for granted.
Meanwhile, Senate President Bukola Saraki,
yesterday, conveyed President Buhari’s
greetings to senators while reading the
president’s letter on extension of vacation and
Acting President Yemi Osinbajo’s letter on
confirmation of Justice Walter Onnoghen as
Chief Justice of the Federation, CJN.
Also, the Acting President has sent the name
of a non-career ambassadorial nominee from
Ogun State to the Senate for confirmation.
No cause for worry – Buhari
Adesina’s statement read: “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
originally planned.”
President Buhari left Nigeria for London on
January 19, 2017.
He was due to return after 10 official days but
at the expiration of the period, he wrote to the
National Assembly, extending his medical
vacation indefinitely.
The continued stay of the President has,
however, brewed controversy, dividing
Nigerians in many respects.
Jolted by the statement, State House
correspondents later sought more clarification
from Adesina on President Buhari’s state of
health.
The interview, at the Old Banquet Hall, Abuja,
after a meeting on Promoting Effective Policy
Monitoring and Evaluating and Performance of
Ministers, Department and Agencies in the
implementation of the 2016 Budget of Change
organized by the Ministry of Budget and
National Planning, went thus:
Tell us more on the statement you issued.
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.
Any possibility he will speak to Nigerians
directly?
What he has just done is to speak to
Nigerians.
What is actually wrong with the President?
Don’t you know that the Hippocratic Oath
forbids even 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 the
UK?
I do not consider that as harassment.
Presidents are not hijacked and interviewed.
Those things are scheduled. So, I do not
consider that as harassment.
On reports that he may remain there for
months
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.
Those people need to prove it. He spoke with
President Donald Trump. Did Trump say he did
not speak with Nigerian President? Anybody
can allege anything.
My message to Nigerians is let us learn to
believe our leaders. This is a man we elected
into office and he says no cause to worry, let
us believe him.
Senate confirms receipt of Buhari, Osinbajo’s
letters
Meanwhile, the Senate, resuming from a four-
week suspension of plenary, yesterday,
formally confirmed the receipt of President
Buhari’s letter, extending his vacation as well
as the letter from Acting President Osinbajo
appointing Justice Walter Samuel Nkanu
Onnoghen as the CJN.
Senate President Saraki read the two letters
and another letter from Osinbajo, requesting
the Senate to screen and subsequently
confirm Mr Adeyinka Asekun from Ogun State
as an additional non-career ambassador
designate.
The Senate had on February 19 adjourned to
enable standing committees attend to
Ministries, Departments and Agencies over
their 2017 Budget Defence.
The Senate had prior to resumption admitted
receiving the letter from President Buhari
prolonging his stay that he will not return to
the country until his doctors ask him to do so.
Buhari’ s letter dated February 5, 2016 read:
“Further to my letter dated January 18, 2017 in
which I notified the distinguished Senate of
taking part of my annual leave.
“During my leave I took the opportunity to
have routine checkups and consult my long
standing doctors in London. In the course of
the routine examinations, certain tests results
indicated the need for a course of medications
and further appointments rescheduled for next
week.
“I am therefore notifying the distinguished
Senate that I am extending my leave until the
doctors are satisfied that certain factors are
ruled out.
“In the circumstances, Vice President, Yemi
Osinbajo would continue to act on my behalf.
Please accept distinguished Senate President
the assurances of my highest consideration”.
Reading Osinbajo’s letter on Onnoghen dated
February 7, 2017, Saraki noted that the Senate
was urged to confirm Onnoghen pursuant to
Section 231 of the Constitution of the Federal
Republic of Nigeria.
The letter read: “Following the
recommendation of the National Judicial
Council, NJC, I hereby notify you of the
appointment of Hon. Justice Walter Onnoghen
as Chief Justice of Nigeria, CJN.
“ The Senate President is requested to kindly
present the said appointment of the
Honourable Justice Onnoghen for confirmation
by the Senate of the Federal Republic of
Nigeria, pursuant to section 231(1) of the
Constitution of the Federal Republic of
Nigeria.
“Please accept, Mr. Senate President, the
assurances of my highest regards.”
Also yesterday, Senate President Saraki who
led a delegation to London to visit President
Buhari, told his colleagues that Buhari
extended his greetings to the senators.
Saraki who told his colleagues at plenary that
the president was in good spirit and health,
said, “he was chatting as usual and conveys
his best wishes and hopes to be back with us
very soon.”
Meanwhile, the Senate has condoled with the
House of Representatives over the death of
Rep. Bello Sani representing Mashi/Dutsi
Federal Constituency of katsina State and
immediately adjourned plenary to today in
honour of the late lawmaker.
Buhari must obey his doctors’directives –
Ikokwu
Second Republic Politician, Chief Guy Ikokwu
said: “Health issues are not matters one can
toy with. Our president is definitely under a
proficient medical attention. A good patient
musty obey the medical directives of those in
charge.”
No cause for alarm —Tsav
Retired Police Commissioner, Alhaji Abubakar
Tsav, said: “There should be no problem about
that since he properly handed over to the
Vice-President. I think he wants to make sure
that he gets well properly before coming back.
It is only if he had not handed over to his Vice
as demanded by constitution that people will
start getting worried.”
We’re in a season of power struggle –
Afenifere
The Pan-Yoruba socio-political organisation,
Afenifere, said Nigeria is in another season of
power struggle that may hurt governance.
Afenifere’s National Publicity Secretary, Mr
Yinka Odumakin said: “We are in for another
season of power struggle that would paralyse
governance. Though the president has done
the right thing by transmitting power, we know
that his inner circle would commit all sorts in
his name while limiting the Acting President
with the bogey of ‘he is coming.’
They’re taking Nigerians for granted —
Balarabe Musa
Former Governor of Kaduna State, Alhaji
Balarabe Musa accused the Presidency of
taking Nigerians for granted.
He said: “They are taking Nigerians for
granted. Nigerians have to be taken into
consideration because for the Presidency to
make such statement shows that the situation
is critical. It also means they are taking us for
a ride.”
This was the same way the late Umaru
Yar’Adua’s health was handled.
As for me, I hope the President is aware of
this latest statement because as far as I am
concerned, he may not have said it. The
Federal government should make sure that
Nigerians know the truth, we cannot continue
to be left in the dark. We cannot trust his
aides as well. We need the Senate President
and the Speaker of the House of
Representatives, who claim to have met him,
to find out the truth and tell Nigerians the
truth.”
The cabal around Buhari will destroy Nigeria –
Mohammed
Second Republic lawmaker, Dr Junaid
Mohammed, said if Nigerians were not careful,
the cabal surrounding President Buhari will
destroy Nigeria.
According to him, what Nigerians has seen so
far shows the Presidency is not being truthful
to Nigerians.
His words: “What is happening right now is
very unfortunate because evidence has since
shown that the President’s handlers are not
telling us the truth. They are playing on the
intelligence of the masses, who took time to
register, vote and some even died while
voting. I feel Nigerians deserve better than
what we are getting right now.
“The 1999 Nigerian constitution is very clear
that should the President be unable to
prosecute his work, he should hand over power
or resign instead of holding on to power. If the
National Assembly does not move to impeach
the President, corruption will continue in this
government. The plan by the cabal around
Buhari is to bundle him into the country and
make it look as if he is ruling when he is not
actually in charge. The cabal does not mean
well for this country and if we are not careful,
they will ruin this country.”
Let him speak with us like he spoke with
Trump – Yerima
On his part, President of the Arewa Youth
Consultative Forum, AYCF, Alhaji Shettima
Usman Yerima, said the president should
communicate with Nigerians the way he
communicated with the US President, Donald
Trump.
“We need to know the state of our president.
If the president can communicate with the US
President, like he claimed he did, Nigerians
expect him to tell us the state he is. We need
to know the state of his health. We cannot be
taken for granted. We have been praying for
him, we are praying for him and we will
continue to pray for him but if he is
incapacitated, the rule of law musts have its
way. Failure to hear from the president will
lead to Nigerians doing the needful. We cannot
be kept in the dark. He is the president of
Nigeria and Nigerians deserve a right to know
from him because we want him back.”
Buhari’s declaration valid—Ajulo
On his part, a legal practitioner, Dr Kayode
Ajulo said: “Section 145 of the 1999
constitution as amended is to the effect that
when the president presents a written
declaration of his inability to discharge the
functions of his office to the president of the
Senate and the speaker of the house of
representatives, such a declaration is to vest
such functions and capacity of his office to
the vice president. This declaration is valid
until the president presents another
declaration to the contrary.”
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