Increased Speculation About His Whereabouts As President Muhammadu Buhari Failed To Show Up For Juma’at Prayer
President Muhammadu Buhari did not attend Juma’at prayer at Aso
Rock mosque on Friday.
This
is the first time that the president will be absent at the mosque since he
returned to the country after a 49-day medical vacation in the UK.
However,
some of the dignitaries who usually join him at the mosque were there for
prayers.
Among
them were Abdullahi Ganduje, governor of Kano, Ibikunle Amosun, his Ogun
counterpart, and Abdulaziz Yari of Zamfara.
The
absence of the president in public functions has been a source of concern.
On
Wednesday, Buhari missed the federal executive council meeting for the second
time in a row, fuelling reports about his health condition.
On
Thursday, Garba Shehu, presidential spokesman, said doctors advised the
president to take things slowly while fully recovering from the “long period of
treatment in the United Kingdom”.
Shehu
said there was no need for apprehension over the health of the president.
“The
presidency hereby assures the good people of Nigeria that, despite the
insinuations of a number of media organisations, there is no need for
apprehension over the health of our President, Muhammadu Buhari,” Shehu had
said in a statement.
“President
Buhari’s absence at the federal executive council meeting of Wednesday, April
26, was a last minute decision; otherwise, the cabinet and the public might
have been alerted in advance. As eager as he is to be up and about, the
president’s doctors have advised on his taking things slowly.
“President
Buhari himself, on his return to the country, made Nigerians aware of the state
of his health while he was in London. Full recovery is sometimes a slow
process, requiring periods of rest and relaxation, as the minister for
information, Lai Mohammed, intimated in his press briefing after the FEC
meeting on Wednesday.”
The
presidential spokesman assured Nigerians that Buhari was still in charge of the
country, and that he had been receiving daily briefings on the activities of
the government.
thecable
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