Nigerians who expected President Muhammadu Buhari, to play the same card he played during his last medical vacation to London, and return to the country after hosting his friend and Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, were sorely disappointed.
On Friday, Welby leader of the Anglican Communion worldwide paid the recuperating Nigerian leader a goodwill visit at Abuja House, London, where he expressed delight over Buhari’s rapid recovery from his health challenges, noting that it was “a testimony to the healing powers of God, and answer to prayers of millions of people round the world.’’
The cleric pledged to continue praying for both Buhari and Nigeria.
For the expectant Nigerians, their expectations was not out of place. In March this year, the president returned to the country on March 10, a day after playing host to the same cleric.
Femi Adeshina, Buhari’s media aide in a release on the latest visit said Welby and his principal were good friend, who have deep respect for each other.
Be that as it may, there was no indication at the Aso RockVilla, yesterday, that Buhari who was billed to return to the country within the week would arrive anytime soon.
It also came to light yesterday, that the National Assembly is also agitated by the president’s lengthy stay in London. This was after Senator Ben Murray Bruce (PDP Bayelsa East) disclosed that a bi-partisan Senate would hold an urgent meeting with Buhari on current situations in the country on his arrival.
Murray-Bruce hinted that there maybe a high-powered meeting between the Senate and Buhari when he returns to the country.
“We need to speak with him about all the issues plaguing the country,” he said, adding that those to meet with the president will cut across party lines.
He, however, hinted that President Buhari may be returning anytime next week.
The Presidency has also not provided a definite timeframe for the president’s stay in London, and has since maintained that the length of his stay there would only be determined by his doctors.
Only recently, six governors went to visit the president in London and thereafter advised him not to hurry back home, but to take care of his health.
Governor Samuel Ortom of Benue State who was among the six, was not definitive on the president’s return date when asked by State House Correspondents at the Presidential Villa.
Last night at the Villa, there was no sign that the President would be arriving as earlier speculated by governors, who visited him and by some politicians, mostly of the ruling All Progressives Congress Party (APC) family.
The Nigerian seat of power bore its usual serenity with the heavily wooded fortress remaining heavily guarded by troops and other security forces. Presidential aides went about their routine chores with everyone maintaining tight lips on issues pertaining to the president.
