Tonight I leave for London, to see my doctors. When I came back in March, I hinted that there might be a need to return soon,for a follow-up pic.twitter.com/mfmVYSLfO4
— Muhammadu Buhari (@MBuhari) May 7, 2017
President Muhammadu Buhari is reported to have travelled to the United kingdom on Sunday night for “medical follow-up” according his spokesperson.
Femi Adesina, on his twitter handle, said the length of the president’s stay away is to be determined by his “London doctors.”
The recent trip occurs 57 days after the president also spent over 50 days in London on medical vacation.
In a later statement, Mr. Adesina said the president has already written to the leadership of the National Assembly intimating them of the trip.
PMB travels tonight for medical follow-up. Length of stay to be determined by London doctors.Govt to function normally under VP.
— Femi Adesina (@FemAdesina) May 7, 2017
He said the president had planned to leave Sunday afternoon, but decided to tarry a bit, due to the arrival of 82 Chibok girls who arrived Abuja earlier in the day.
The girls, kidnapped in April 2014, were released by the Boko Haram in a swap deal that also saw the release of some terror suspects.
“The President wishes to assure all Nigerians that there is no cause for worry. He is very grateful for the prayers and good wishes of the people, and hopes they would continue to pray for the peace and unity of the nation,” Mr. Adesina said.
“President Buhari has transmitted letters about the trip to the Senate and the House of Representatives, in compliance with Section 145 (1) of the 1999 Constitution,” the statement said.
The health status of president Buhari has been a sensitive and controversial topic among Nigerians since the death in office in 2010 of Umaru Musa Yar’Adua, which sparked months of political impasse.
It is interesting to note that President Buhari rejected, during the 2015 election campaign, opposition claims that he was seriously ill with prostate cancer.
