The presidency has reacted to the calls from various quarters for President Muhammadu Buhari to resign over his failing health.
The Presidency has ruled out the possibility of President Muhammadu Buhari resigning
his position over his ill health as being suggested by some Nigerians.
According to Punch Metro, the Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Mr. Femi Adesina, in an interview
with journalists in Lagos on Friday, said those calling for the President’s resignation were merely expressing their opinion.
According to him, the views of over 15 million Nigerians that voted for the President were more important than such
opinions, while expressing confidence hat God would fully restore Buhari’s health.
The President returned from medical vacation to the United Kingdom on March 10, where he spent 49 days. And since his
return from vacation, Buhari has been absent at some Federal Executive Council meetings, including that of last Wednesday,
where Vice President Yemi Osinbajo presided.
It was learnt that the President needed some rest and had “asked that all the files on his table be brought to him at his official
residence in the Presidential Villa.”
Adesina had attended the launch of the book, “Against the Run of Play,” written by Olusegun Adeniyi, Chairman, ThisDay
Editorial Board and former Special Adviser, Media to late President Umaru Yar’Adua.
The President’s absence from public functions for weeks now, has heightened public concerns about the President’s state
of health with some Nigerians calling for Buhari’s resignation should he be unfit to
deal with the rigours of office.
When asked if the President would yield to the calls for his resignation by some Nigerians over his poor health, Adesina said,
“Well, it is an opinion, but don’t forget that about 15 million people elected the president so if one or two people expressed
their opinion, will their opinions override that of 15 million people who voted for him?
So those who are expressing their opinions have rights to their opinions.”
Adesina, however, expressed confidence that through prayers of Nigerians, God would fully restore Buhari’s health.
He said, “Yesterday there was still a press briefing saying there is no need for apprehension. God spared the president. In the first place, he said he had never been as sick as he was before, the same God that spared him will also ensure that he returns
to full health. Nigerians prayed, God answered. Nigerians are still praying, God will still answer. That is all we believe.”
Meanwhile, President Buhari was on Friday absent at the Juma’at service held inside the
Presidential Villa, Abuja. The Juma’at has been the only public function attended by
the President in the last three weeks.
The President has been joining Muslim faithful for prayers inside a mosque near his office since he stopped attending the
service at the National Mosque, Abuja.
Three state governors who probably had planned to join Buhari for the prayers were
however present.
The governors who attended the prayer session included Ibikunle Amosun (Ogun);
Abdulaziz Yari (Zamfara); and Abdullahi
Ganduje (Kano).
The governors had on Thursday joined their colleagues for a meeting of the National
Economic Council at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.
No official reason has been given for Buhari’s absence at the prayer session as of the time of filing this report.
Buhari returned to the country on Friday, March 10 after his 49-day medical sojourn in London. He did not attend the Juma’at
service that day apparently because of jet lag.
But since then, the President has not missed any of the Friday prayers until that of yesterday.
On March 17, Buhari was joined at the service by top government officials including the Kano State Governor, Abdullahi Ganduje;
Attorney-General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami (SAN); Minister of Defence,
Dan Mansur-Ali; Minister of Interior, Abdurahman Dambazzau; Director-General
of the Department of State Services, Lawal Daura; Comptroller-General of Nigeria
Customs Service, Hammed Ali; and the Acting Chairman of the Economic and Financial
Crimes Commission, Ibrahim Magu, among others.
On March 24, the President was present and was joined by Magu and Daura among others.
On March 31, Buhari attended the prayer session and was joined by Ganduje and the Kogi State Governor, Yahaya Bello, among
others.
