BREAKING NEWS:
BUHARI Returns to NIGERIA to Implement Policies that Will Develop Nation…After 103 Days of Medical Treatment in LONDON
*Unfolds Quick Economic Reforms in Nationwide Address tomorrow, Monday, August 21 by 7 a.m Nigerian Time
*Thousands of Buhari’s Supporters danced, Jubilate, on Highways
* “President Buhari thanks all Nigerians who have prayed ceaselessly for his recovery and well-being since the beginning of the health challenge”-Femi Adesina, Special Adviser to the President (Media and Publicity)
* ‘Nigeria has matured to a point where governance continued in a meaningful, seamless manner during the president’s absence’-Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, National Leader All Progressives Congress party
* Nigerians Student Union (NANS) Rejoice at President’s Return, Demand SACK of Federal Cabinet
BY ELA IYEDE/POLITICAL REPORTER & GEORGE ELIJAH OTUMU/FOREIGN BUREAU CHIEF, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
JUBILATION, CELEBRATION AND CARNIVAL-LIKE FESTIVAL greeted the safe arrival of Nigeria’s President Muhammadu Buhari after 103 days of undergoing intense medical treatment in a specialist hospital in London yesterday, Saturday August 19th. The appearance of Buhari from the plane for the first time drew Christians and Muslims together in warm embrace, as it clearly showed Nigerians had been praying for Mr President’s divine health.
President Buhari has decided to address millions of Nigerians by tomorrow, Monday, August 20th by 7a.m Nigerian Time to appreciate them and rolls out effective economic plans to implement which will make Nigerians’ life much better.
Confirming this latest development, Femi Adesina, Special Adviser to the President (Media and Publicity): “President Muhammadu Buhari returns to the country later today, after receiving medical attention in London. The President had left the country on May 7, this year, after handing over power to Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, who has functioned as Acting President since then.
President Buhari is expected to speak to Nigerians in a broadcast by 7 a.m on Monday, August 21, 2017. President Buhari thanks all Nigerians who have prayed ceaselessly for his recovery and well-being since the beginning of the health challenge.”
Similarly, thousands of supporters of Buhari in expression of their joy fully knowing Mr President is healthy and alive contrary to rumors in some quarters, crowd the Highway that leads to Abuja airport. The supporters danced in jubilation for President Buhari’s return. Their size as in numbers almost out-numbers Nigeria’s security operatives deployed to maintain law and order.
Some supporters of Buhari’s supporters on Saturday, August 19, blocked the highway leading to the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja. The supporters in their thousands flood the streets with brooms – representing the logo of the All Progressives Congress (APC), ruling Nigeria’s political party led by Buhari. The supporters were also seen dancing and jubilating on the Highway while welcoming Mr President who arrived Nigeria.
Earlier on President Buhari’s return to Nigeria from London on Saturday, August 19, was welcomed by the vice president Yemi Osinbajo and some presidential aides including his chief of staff Abba Kyari.
Re-establishing him as Commander-in-Chief of Nigeria Armed Forces, President Buhari received the a guard salute from the guard of honour who also joined to welcome him at the Presidential Wing of the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport.
Meanwhile, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, National Leader of APC, describes to Nigerians the significance, import of Buhari’s return to the country. Tinubu urged Nigerians to support Buhari to make Nigerians greater than the APC met it. To him, Buhari’s return means God has answered the prayer of Nigerians.
Tinubu, a former governor of Lagos, described Buhari’s return after about 103 days in London as a nation’s hope fulfilled. Tinubu, who has been silent for a while and currently out of Nigeria, expressed joy hours after Buhari’s arrival in Nigeria, in a statement released by his media office.
His words: “President Buhari’s return home is our prayers answered. President Buhari has always been a man of moral fortitude, discipline, strength and dedication. “These attributes have helped him battle medical challenges. These same attributes will lead him to success in surmounting our national challenges.
“President Buhari has demonstrated time and again his devotion to this nation and its great causes. “His love of country and the realization that he has a mission to fulfill so that Nigeria may realize its better self by providing security and prosperity to all Nigerians has compelled him home. “Just as we gathered to pray for his health and his return, we must remain united in spirit to support President Buhari as he pursues the progressive agenda for which he was elected and that promises us all a better day. “Our nation is strong but must overcome many challenges. We can do so with President Buhari at the helm and with the rest of the nation in active support. Thus, the president’s return home is both real and symbolic.
“We all must renew our faith in our collective purpose and rededicate ourselves to a nation indivisible and united in reconstructing our political economy so that it provides a decent and good life to all our people. “It has been a heartening thing to see that our nation has matured to the point where governance continued in a meaningful, seamless manner during the president’s absence.
“This again was a sign of the harmony between President Buhari and Vice President Yemi Osinbajo,” Tinubu said. The APC chieftain added: “On this day, it is even more heartening to think of the things that can now be achieved with President Buhari back to lead the nation. Today is a glad and happy one for those who wish Nigeria well.
“While we rejoice the President’s return, we also must quickly turn to the hard and heavy work at hand. “We must do everything possible to help President Buhari and his government accomplish those things we all seek – economic growth, prosperity, justice, security and peace. May we do our best to become our best. “Welcome home, Mr. President. Welcome home.”
Expressing joy at Buahri’s return, The National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) under the leadership of Comrade Chinonso Obasi with a deep sense of patriotism joins all patriotic and well-meaning Nigerians to rejoice with President Muhammadu Buhari and thank God for his returns safe return from the United Kingdom with a renewed vigor after a prolonged absence
to attend to his ailing health.
Obasi in as statement issued on Sunday in Abuja, said the Nigerian Students stood with the President throughout the difficult times and would continue to be with him in prayers for the sustenance of his health and pray for more wisdom, knowledge, understanding and energy to enable the President provide the necessary leadership to move the nation forward.
The President of NANS mentioned that as Mr President settles down to recuperate, he is in the spirit of comradeship and solidarity, mobilizing the leadership of Nigerian Students to pay a special welcome back solidarity visit to the President as the father of the nation to intimate him of certain developments in the nation’s educational sector and other issues of critical national importance.
Obasi also mentioned that NANS particularly in strong terms condemn the unfortunate development in the North East that led to the untimely and brutal murder of some lecturers of the University of Maiduguri and others on account of the gross insensitivity of the Honourable Minister of State Petroleum who chose to embark on a dangerous exploration exercise in the Lake Chad region without consideration for the volatility of the region and calls for the immediate parameter fencing of the University to protect the inhabitants.
Accordingly, ahead of Buhari’s special broadcast on Monday, Obasi calls on
Mr. President to consider the current issue of urgent national importance and speak to the prevailing indefinite strike declared by ASUU to ensure that Nigerian Students returns to school at the earliest convenience.
Obasi also wishes to use this opportunity to draw the attention of Mr. President to the fact that the critical challenge of the Nigerian Universities and Nigerian
Students is obviously and regrettably missing in the recently launched Economic
Recovery and Growth Plan (ERGP).
NANS President stated that going forward, the Nigerian Students and Youth should be deliberately included in decisions making process on issues that concerns them to enable them actively participate and contribute to the development efforts of the nation.
Against the background of the numerous challenges facing the nation, Obasi urges Mr. President to use the opportunity of his return to quickly introduce a new sense of vigor into his administration by rejigging and repositioning his cabinet for effectiveness and efficiency by bringing on board, cerebral, competent, vibrant, contemporary and dynamic young people to herald and stimulate a whole new level of impetus and vibrancy in the administration of the ailing economy.
