ACTING President Yemi Osinbajo has explained that his recent visit to London was “to see President Mu- hammadu Buhari, know how he was doing and, also, brief him on the develop- ments back home.” Osinbajo said the presi- dent is recuperating fast and is due back soon.
He told State House Cor- respondents, shortly before the commencement of the Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting yesterday, that his discussion with President Buhari lasted well over an hour. He added that the president was in very high spirit and was his usual jovial self.
The acting president said they discussed on wide range of issues but declined to touch on the specifics. “First, I went to see him to know how he was doing. Of course, I had been speak- ing with him on phone, and I thought it would be a good thing to go and see him and know generally how he was doing and, also, brief him on developments back at home. “So we had a very good time and had a very good conversation on wide rang- ing issues and he is in very good spirit; he is recuperating very quickly.”
Asked the state of health of Mr. President, he replied, “Well, as I have said he is in very high spirit, he is recu- perating very well and we had very long conversation, we spoke for well over an hour and his humor is all there. He is doing well and he is recuperating fast.” On when the president is due back, Osinbajo replied: “I think very shortly. I think we should really expect him back very shortly. Like I said, he is recuperating very fast and he is doing very well.”
Asked if the report on the investigation of the suspend- ed Secretary to the Gov- ernment of the Federation (SGF) Babachir Lawal and Director General, National Intelligence Agency (NIA) were part of their conversa- tion, the acting president said: “Wide ranging issues. I really can’t go into specif- ics of all of the discussions we had.”
On whether Nigerians should expect Mr. President before 90 days, he replied, “No, no. Deadlines aren’t a very good thing, but as I said he is recuperating fast, we are expecting him very shortly. Much sooner, per- haps, than you will expect.”
Despite the call by the House of Representatives that the acting president swear in the ministers- designate from Kogi and Gombe states, as well as al- locate portfolio and official duties to them within the next one week, Osinbajo said the issue didn’t come up in their discussion and he couldn’t tell exactly when they will be sworn in. “We didn’t discuss swear- ing in or anything like that. We didn’t discuss when they will be sworn in. I don’t have a date in mind, but I’m sure very soon we will do that.” The ministers designate are Mr. Stephen Ocheni, a nominee from Kogi State and Mr. Suleiman Hassan, who was nominated from Gombe State by President Buhari.
They were screened by the Senate in May. While Ocheni is to re- place the late James Ocholi, Hassan is to replace Amina Mohammed, who joined the United Nations last year. The acting president re- turned to the country early yesterday morning after visiting President Buhari in London on Tuesday. A tweet by his media aide Laolu Akande early in the morning yesterday an- nounced that Osinbajo was back and would preside over the FEC meeting scheduled for 11am yesterday.
“AgP Osinbajo now back in Abuja from London & will be presiding over FEC this morning starting @ 11am at the Council Cham- bers in Aso Rock,” Akande tweeted. His media aide had also tweeted that Osinbajo would brief journalists at the State House on his meeting with the president, shortly before attending the FEC meeting. The acting president left the country on Tuesday after attending the Quar- terly Presidential Business Forum at the State House Abuja.
