PRESIDENT Muhammadu Buhari will not return to the contrary soon contrary to the expectations of many Nigerians.
Following the results of previous medical tests, he is now likely to undergo more tests, the presidency has said.
According to presidential spokesman, Femi Adesina, who spoke with State House correspondents in Abuja on Tuesday, there was no definite date for the president to return now because of the planned tests.
He however conveyed Buhari’s gratitude to Nigerians for their prayers, concern and goodwill, assuring that there was no cause for worry.
Adesina said: “The President wants Nigerians to know that he appreciates their prayers, he appreciates their concerns and their goodwill. He has added that there is really no cause to worry.
“He is the one who owns the body and there is nobody who will know his body more than him and he says no cause to worry.
“It makes sense to say that maybe from the results of the tests, further rests had been recommended. The statement did not say how long the rest will last.
“I speak for somebody, I do not speak for myself. So it is what he tells me to say that I say and the statement transmitted to me is that the President needs to rest for some further time.”
Asked whether there was any possibility that the president will speak to Nigerians, Adesina replied: “What he has just done is to speak to Nigerians.”
On the president’s actual medical condition, the spokesman said: “Don’t you know that the Hippocratic Oath even forbids a doctor from speaking about the condition of his patient except the patient authorizes it?
“It is only the patient himself who can speak about what he is going through. This is the person going through these series of tests and rest and he says no cause to worry, let us believe that.”
The presidential aide would not be drawn into speculation that Buhari may be out of the country for many months, only saying: “What we have just said is what I will want us to believe.
“The President said he needs to rest further. The same president that communicated that to us, when it is time for him to come, he will also communicate to us.”
The Special Adviser to the president on media and publicity, also rubbished claims that the president may have lost his voice, challenging those with evidence to that effect to produce it.
He said: “Those people need to prove it. He spoke with President Trump. Did Trump say he did not speak with Nigerian President. Anybody can allege anything.
“My message to Nigerians is that let us learn to believe our leaders. This is a man we elected into office and he says no cause to worry, let us believe him.”
Following reports that that journalists who have attempted to have interviews with the president in London have been harassed, Adesina said there was no such thing, adding however that any interview with the president must be pre-arranged.
“I do not consider that an harassment. Presidents are not hijacked and interviewed. Those things are scheduled. So I do not consider that as harassment,” he stated.
The president left the country on Thursday January 19, 2017 to the United Kingdom for what was initially announced to be a 10-day vacation and was due back in Abuja on Sunday to resume work on Monday February 6, 2017.
But he wrote to the National Assembly early this month to intimate the lawmakers that he had decided to extend his vacation to enable him to under more tests.