I’ve never been so sick in my life – Buhari

PRESIDENT Muhammadu Buhari who returned to the Presidential Villa, Abuja on Friday morning, has revealed that he was very sick and had undergone blood transfusion for the first time in his life while he he was on nearly two months of medical vacation in the United Kingdom.

On his arrival, he told a welcome party led by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo that he had never felt so sick in life not even during his military days with its ups and downs.

The president who cautioned against self drug administration, was grateful that he received the best of treatment and was feeling much better and ready to meet the aspirations of Nigerians.

He said: “I am very conscious of the economy. I have rested as much as humanly possible, I have received I think the best of treatment ilI could receive.

“I couldn’t recall being so sick since I was a young man, including the military with its ups and downs. I found out that technology is going so fast that if you have a lot of confidence, you better keep it because you need it.

“Blood transfusions, going to the laboratories, and so on and so forth, but I am very pleased that we, when I say we I mean the government and the people all over are trying to keep with technology.

“I couldn’t recall when last I had blood transfusion, I couldn’t recall honestly. I can say in my seventy years, I couldn’t remember this drug that Nigerians take so much, very common.

“I think one of our terrible thing is self drug administration. We have to trust our doctors more and trust ourselves more.

“Where I visited they only take drugs when it is absolutely necessary. They don’t just swallow everything .

“Having said that I am pleased that I am back, I am pleased that the Vice President enjoyed this break and he has to do much more this time around.”

Buhari disclosed that he would be returning to London to do follow ups on his treatment and thanked Nigerians for praying for him.

He observed that their prayers for him was a demonstration of support for government programmes despite the prevailing hard times.

According to him, “I am deeply grateful to all Nigerians Muslims and Christians alike who have prayed and continue to pray for my good health.

“This is a testimony that inspite of the hardship being experienced Nigerians support the government in its efforts to tackle our country’s challenges.

“The best way me to pay you all is to rededicate myself to serving you, protecting your interest and keeping your trust. I thank you very much.

“I feel much better now.  All I will need is to do further follow ups within some weeks.”

The president admonished Nigerians to refrain from sending delegations to Abuja to visit him but rather to continue in their prayers for him.

“Rather than sending delegations to Abuja to welcome me , May I appeal to our people to continue to pray for the country’s unity, progress and prosperity. I thank you very much and may God bless our country,” he said.

Buhari said he would continue to rest while Osinbajo would continue his work.

He added:”Youth and intellect is squarely behind him, age and purely military experience is behind me.

“Continue to do the work, Nigeria will continue whether we are here or not and my single most important advice is take education of everybody under your responsibility very seriously, your children our relatives, our constituencies, education education education. We must do more on education.

“I deliberately came back towards the weekend, so that the Vice President will continue and I will continue to rest.”

In his address of welcome to the president, Osinbajo conceded that he had a challenging time during the period the president was away.

e thanked the president for the confidence reposed in him which led to the transfer of power to him as acting president.

The Vice President observed that it was a demonstration of Buhari’s belief in the system of governmentoperated by the country.
He expressed gratitude to God for enabling the president to return to the country “hale and hearty.”

Osinbajo said: “Mr president, again on behalf of Federal Executive Council, we welcome you back home. We are very grateful to God that you are back home hale and hearty. Mr president, I must say that personally, this has been a very interesting few days for me.

“First I must say that I want to thank you very much for the confidence reposed in me by handing over the reins of government to me in the capacity of acting president.

“I think more important is that you demonstrated the belief in our system which is even more important than anything else.

“The constitution which we all swore to is important because it outlines the code of conduct. I want to say not only am I, but I am sure the entire nation is grateful to you.

“For me, I must say that it has been an interesting period going around the nation maybe because the roads are bad. I must say I had a very interesting and challenging time but above all, the president gave us the good support.”