President Muhammadu Buhari on Monday attributed his recent
recovery from an undisclosed ailment to a divine act of the almighty God...
He made the remark in Daura, Katsina State, when he received
Daura Elders Committee, an association of farmers, businessmen, youths, elders
and politicians from Katsina in his country home.
President Buhari also said he returned back to the country
with renewed hope and strength to pursue policies that will improve the
livelihood of the people and reposition Nigeria for good.
“My recent convalescence is a divine act of the almighty
God.
“Considering the challenges we are facing as a nation, we
have been doing our best to provide sustainable solutions, and we will keep
doing our best.
“I am happy you came here today, and I am thankful for all
the prayers. You are leaders of various groups at the grassroots, and you are
closer to the people so you understand these problems as well. We need your
support,” Buhari told his visitors.
Leader of the group of associations, Zannan-Daura, Alhaji
Sani Ahmed Daura, said the president’s return signalled God’s interest in
turning around the fortunes of the country.
“On behalf of all the elders here, we are grateful to God
you returned alive, and in good health,’’ he said.
Daura, a former Assistant Inspector General of Police, said
the president’s life of patience, endurance and contentment was exemplary,
praying that God would give him more strength and wisdom to lead the country.
Earlier, President Buhari received the Emir of Katsina,
Alhaji Abdulmumini Kabir Usman and his entourage.
Buhari has been on holiday in his home town Daura to observe
the Eid-El-Kabir festivities.
He recently returned from London where he spent 104 days on
vacation on account of his ill health.
His return and eventual public broadcast had elicited
diverse reactions from Nigerians with some assessing his speech to have fallen
below expectations.
Since his return, he has taken a number of steps to douse
tensions that arose from the various regional blocs, where some favours
restructuring and others opting for separate state.
The president is, however, expected back in Abuja anytime
soon to pilot the affairs of the nation.
Although President Muhammadu Buhari’s first active year in
office which was from May 29, 2015 to 2016 was frost with some minor
challenges, especially delays associated with appointing his cabinet members,
the frustrations and criticism that greeted it left much to be desired.
No sooner had he sorted out some of these issues to settle
down to business of governance came his health challenges.
The first time he took vacation to undergo medical check-up
in London, United Kingdom was in February 2016.
He left the shores of Nigeria for the United Kingdom for a
six-day vacation from
February 5 to February 10, 2016. After a formal letter was
written to the National Assembly leadership he transferred powers to Vice
President Yemi Osinbajo.
Buhari’s Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Femi
Adesina, had explained that the letter to the National Assembly was in
compliance with Section 145 (1) of the Nigerian constitution.
The spokesperson had assured Nigerians of the well-being of
the president and the need not to panic over the state of his health.
He had hinged the vacation on the need for the president to
take a break from work as he had worked non-stop for eight months and could
break down like every other person.
On January 19, 2017, shortly after resolving the leadership
crisis in The Gambia, where Yahaya Jammeh was recalcitrant to hand over power
to his successor, President Buhari fell ill again and had to leave the country
on another vacation.
As usual, he wrote Senate President Bukola Saraki and
Speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara, before bidding Nigeria
goodbye to examine his health on January 23, 2017 to be precise.
Nigerians were sympathetic and in fact showed understanding
that the president needs to take care of his health issues so that he could
function maximally as the nation’s leader.
However, when the 10-day medical leave began to extend to
several weeks, rumours began to fly over the actual date of his return,
deepening suspicions that his health was far worse than officials were publicly
admitting.
Finally, on March 9, 2017, the president returned to wild
jubilations in some parts of the country and to the relief of Nigerians.
Despite attempts by his spokesmen to conceal his health
challenges, Buhari revealed to Nigerians when he came back that he had never
felt “so sick” in his entire life.
Upon returning, his absence in public functions, including
skipping the weekly Federal Executive Council (FEC) meetings gave room for more
speculations, prompting concerned Nigerians to suggest he take another leave to
rest more and recover fully.
Upon return, he said, “I deliberately came back towards the
weekend, so that the Vice President (Yemi Osinbajo) will continue and I will
continue to rest. All I will need is to do further follow ups within some
weeks.”
Having weighed options available to him and sensed that
Acting President Yemi Osinbajo was doing well in governance of the country,
Buhari jetted out again, shortly after he took inventory of 82 school girls
abducted by the dreaded Boko Haram sect in Chibok, Borno State in April 2014.
He left on Sunday, May 7, 2017 and has spent about 94 days
undergoing medical care also in the UK.
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