Buhari calls Bello, promises to return soon

PRESIDENT Muhammadu Buhari on Sunday called the Kogi State governor, Alhaji Yahaya Bello, from his medical vacation in London with a promise to return to his desk soon.  The president was said to have told the governor that he was still observing his rest and was eager to return to office and continue with the task of moving the country forward.  A statement by the Special Adviser to the governor on Media and Publicity, Kingsley Fanwo, said the president called when Bello was in Lagos for an official engagement.  He said the president expressed joy over the show of love by the people of the state in particular and Nigeria in general since he had embarked on the vacation.  The statement said, “While in Lagos, President Muhammadu Buhari called Governor Yahaya Bello and interacted with him for a couple of minutes.  “Governor Bello was in the company of the Speaker, Kogi State House of Assembly, Rt Hon Alfa Imam, a few other members of the House, commissioners and other top government functionaries when the president made the call.  “The President thanked the governor for his support and his leadership qualities. He told the Governor that he is observing rest and will return very soon to continue his assignment of providing purposeful leadership for the nation.” The government however urged the people of the state to continue to pray for sound health for the president and also support the efforts at making Kogi great again.  “We urge all Kogites to remain steadfast and believe in the policies of the new direction administration to rebound our state from decades of failure. Your governor will continue to make you proud.  “Kogites in Lagos expressed joy as their governor has brought Kogi to the mainstream of national scheme of socio-politics in the nation”, said the statement.   It would be recalled that joint session of the Kogi State chapter of Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) and Islamic clerics in the state last week offered special prayers for the quick recovery of Buhari who is currently in London for medical check-up. The religious groups also prayed for the success of Governor Yahaya Bello in his efforts to transform and develop the state.  The Grand Khadi of Kogi State, Justice Mohammed Zakaria Idakwoji, who led the Islamic Scholars and his Kogi State chapter of CAN Chairman, Bishop John Ibenu in their prayers expressed optimism that Buhari would surely overcome his health challenges and return to Nigeria to continue his good governance. They further asked God to continue to grant the governor good health, courage and the wisdom to actualise his new direction policy to put the state on a sound footing. According to the religious leaders, “Prayer changes things in every circumstance the state or nation might find itself whether bad or good. With prayers all things are possible.”