The 74-year-old former
military ruler spent nearly two months being treated for an undisclosed
illness in London in January and February. He left for a fresh round of
treatment in the British capital on May 7 and has not been heard from or
seen since. Rumours swirled that he may send a pre-recorded message to
the nation for Monday’s public holiday. But Osinbajo said only in a
speech: “I bring you good wishes from President Muhammadu Buhari, who as
we all know is away from the country on medical vacation.” He ended by
asking for people’s “continued prayers for the restoration to full
health and strength and the safe return of our president”. – Elephant in
the room – Buhari’s health — and his ability to lead — has increasingly
overshadowed politics in Nigeria, particularly in the last three weeks
because of the lack of update. Presidential aides told reporters at a
briefing in Abuja last week that they would not even answer questions
about it. But Buhari did not attend a G7 summit in Sicily last week,
although he was among several African leaders invited. Osinbajo went in
his place. During his time in London earlier this year, they insisted
Buhari was “hale and hearty”, despite his increasingly frail appearance,
and had to counter rumours he was terminally ill and even dead. Buhari
himself admitted on his return to Abuja in March that he “had never been
so sick” and had undergone blood transfusions. Since then, he was
rarely seen in public, missed a succession of cabinet meetings, Friday
prayers and his grandson’s wedding. Aides again insisted he was working
from his private residence on doctors’ orders. As well as political
uncertainty, despite the formal handover of powers to Osinbajo, Buhari’s
illness has triggered an earlier-than-usual jostling for position for
the 2019 election and talk about succession. – ‘Democracy Day’ – May 29 —
known as “Democracy Day” for the date civilian rule was restored in
Nigeria in 1999 — has typically been used by the government of the day
to run through a checklist of its achievements. Osinbajo was no
different, pointing to successes in weakening Boko Haram jihadists in
the northeast and the release, rescue or discovery of 106 of the 219
Chibok schoolgirls held by the group since 2014. Buhari was last seen in
a photocall with 82 of the girls just before he left for London.
Osinbajo also outlined progress tackling security threats from militants
in the oil-producing south, and conflict between farmers and herdsmen
in central states. He also reaffirmed the government’s determination to
root out corruption and vowed no let-up against suspects. He
acknowledged the economy had been “the biggest challenge of all”,
because of sustained low global oil prices that cut government revenue,
leading to a weakened currency and higher inflation. Nigeria, which is
Africa’s biggest economy on paper, has been in recession since August
last year. Osinbajo pledged to “build on the successes of the last two”
years until the end of their time in office. “Our vision is for a
country that grows what it eats and produces what it consumes. It is for
a country that no longer has to import petroleum products, and develops
a lucrative petrochemical industry,” he said. “Very importantly it is
for a country whose fortunes are no longer tied to the price of a barrel
of crude, but instead to the boundless talent and energy of its people,
young and old, male and female as they invest in diverse areas of the
economy.” Read more at:
http://www.vanguardngr.com/2017/05/nigerias-buhari-absent-second-anniversary-president/
Read more at:
http://www.vanguardngr.com/2017/05/nigerias-buhari-absent-second-anniversary-president/
Read more at:
http://www.vanguardngr.com/2017/05/nigerias-buhari-absent-second-anniversary-president/
Read more at:
http://www.vanguardngr.com/2017/05/nigerias-buhari-absent-second-anniversary-president/
Read more at: http://www.vanguardngr.com/2017/05/nigerias-buhari-absent-second-anniversary-president/
Read more at: http://www.vanguardngr.com/2017/05/nigerias-buhari-absent-second-anniversary-president/
he 74-year-old former
military ruler spent nearly two months being treated for an undisclosed
illness in London in January and February.
He left for a fresh round of treatment in the British capital on May 7
and has not been heard from or seen since.
Rumours swirled that he may send a pre-recorded message to the nation
for Monday’s public holiday.
But Osinbajo said only in a speech: “I bring you good wishes from
President Muhammadu Buhari, who as we all know is away from the country
on medical vacation.”
He ended by asking for people’s “continued prayers for the restoration
to full health and strength and the safe return of our president”.
– Elephant in the room –
Buhari’s health — and his ability to lead — has increasingly
overshadowed politics in Nigeria, particularly in the last three weeks
because of the lack of update.
Presidential aides told reporters at a briefing in Abuja last week that
they would not even answer questions about it.
But Buhari did not attend a G7 summit in Sicily last week, although he
was among several African leaders invited. Osinbajo went in his place.
During his time in London earlier this year, they insisted Buhari was
“hale and hearty”, despite his increasingly frail appearance, and had to
counter rumours he was terminally ill and even dead.
Buhari himself admitted on his return to Abuja in March that he “had
never been so sick” and had undergone blood transfusions.
Since then, he was rarely seen in public, missed a succession of cabinet
meetings, Friday prayers and his grandson’s wedding.
Aides again insisted he was working from his private residence on
doctors’ orders.
As well as political uncertainty, despite the formal handover of powers
to Osinbajo, Buhari’s illness has triggered an earlier-than-usual
jostling for position for the 2019 election and talk about succession.
– ‘Democracy Day’ –
May 29 — known as “Democracy Day” for the date civilian rule was
restored in Nigeria in 1999 — has typically been used by the government
of the day to run through a checklist of its achievements.
Osinbajo was no different, pointing to successes in weakening Boko Haram
jihadists in the northeast and the release, rescue or discovery of 106
of the 219 Chibok schoolgirls held by the group since 2014.
Buhari was last seen in a photocall with 82 of the girls just before he
left for London.
Osinbajo also outlined progress tackling security threats from militants
in the oil-producing south, and conflict between farmers and herdsmen
in central states.
He also reaffirmed the government’s determination to root out corruption
and vowed no let-up against suspects.
He acknowledged the economy had been “the biggest challenge of all”,
because of sustained low global oil prices that cut government revenue,
leading to a weakened currency and higher inflation.
Nigeria, which is Africa’s biggest economy on paper, has been in
recession since August last year.
Osinbajo pledged to “build on the successes of the last two” years until
the end of their time in office.
“Our vision is for a country that grows what it eats and produces what
it consumes. It is for a country that no longer has to import petroleum
products, and develops a lucrative petrochemical industry,” he said.
“Very importantly it is for a country whose fortunes are no longer tied
to the price of a barrel of crude, but instead to the boundless talent
and energy of its people, young and old, male and female as they invest
in diverse areas of the economy.”
Read more at: http://www.vanguardngr.com/2017/05/nigerias-buhari-absent-second-anniversary-president/
Read more at: http://www.vanguardngr.com/2017/05/nigerias-buhari-absent-second-anniversary-president/
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