I want to return but ... Buhari

President Muhammadu Buhari has insisted that his doctors will decide when he will return from the United Kingdom where he has been on medical vacation since May 7 He said there is tremendous improvement in his health and that he wishes to return home.

He stressed that “but I’ve learnt to obey my doctor’s orders, rather than be the one issuing the orders. Here, the doctor is absolutely in charge.”

Presidential spokesman, Mr Femi Adesina, in a statement, said Buhari spoke yesterday while receiving his media team and the Senior Special Assistant on Diaspora Matters, at Abuja House, London.

The visiting team, led by the Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed; include the Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Mr Femi Adesina; the Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Malam Garba Shehu, the Personal Assistant on Digital/Online Media, Laureta Onochie and the Senior Special Assistant on Diaspora Matters, Abike DabiriErewa.

Adesina said when the team expressed delight at the much improved health of the president, he (Buhari) retorted: “I feel I could go home, but the doctors are in charge. I’ve now learnt to obey orders, rather than be obeyed.”

He stated that when Buhari was asked how he felt hearing different conjectures about his health, the president said he followed events at home closely, lauding Nigerian television stations, and the media generally, for keeping him informed.

Adesina said Buhari was told that prayers were going on fervently for him, not only in Nigeria, but all over Africa, and around the world and that the president expressed delight, saying, “what we did in The Gambia early this year fetched us a lot of goodwill on the African continent. It gave us a lot of latitude. I thank all those who are praying. May God reward them.”