Buhari goes on indefinite medical leave

Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Femi Adesina, gave notice of the trip on his twitter handle last night at about 8.25 p.m., saying “PMB travels tonight for medical follow-up. Length of stay to be determined by London doctors. Govt to function normally under VP.”

The President himself subsequently confirmed his departure and his notification of the trip to the National Assembly in a series of tweets from his personal twitter handle. The President’s return to London will be his fourth medical vacation to the United Kingdom since his inauguration on May 29, 2015.

He returned from his last trip to the United Kingdom on March 10, 2017, which lasted 49 days, a trip that caused anxiety among many Nigerians following extension of the trip initially planned for ten days. Before he departed, the President assured that there was no cause for anxiety concerning the ship of state, saying that Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo will take charge of government in his absence.

“I’d like to assure all Nigerians that there is no cause for worry. I appreciate your prayers and kind wishes. May God continue to bless Nigeria,” the President assured last night in his tweet. He also assured that he had transmitted letters of his medical vacation to the Senate and the House of Representatives as required by Section 145 (1) of the Constitution.

“I have sent the required letters regarding my trip to @NGRSenate and @HouseNGR, in line with Section 145(1) of the 1999 Constitution.” The health of the President has continued to generate controversy, since he returned from the last medical vacation, following his failure to attend the last three meetings of the Federal Executive Council, FEC. Also, the President has not left the Presidential Villa since his return from his last medical vacation.

*Vanguard