TheCable

President Muhammadu Buhari says he will return to the country as soon as his doctors advise him to do so.

The president has been in the UK, where he is receiving medical treatment, since May 7.

On Sunday, leaders of his party – the All Progressives Congress (APC) – paid him a visit in London. Rochas Okorocha, Imo state governor, who was part of the delegation, said the president was in good spirits, and that he would return to the country soon.

In a statement issued by Femi Adesina, presidential spokesman, on Tuesday, Buhari thanked Alpha Conde, president of Guinea, for the nationwide prayers held last week by Guineans for his recovery and good health.

In a letter dated July 24, 2017,  the president, who had earlier made a phone call to Conde, who is the current chairman of  the assemblies of heads of state and government of the African Union, said: “I thank you for your kind and thoughtful action in organising nationwide prayers for my good health. It is a gesture that I will forever cherish and treasure.”

“Your Excellency will be pleased to hear that I am making good progress, and as soon as doctors advise, I shall return to my duties and continue serving the Nigerian people who elected me and are daily praying for my recovery.”

According to the statement, Buhari had, in an earlier letter, accepted his nomination as leader of the ‘2018 AU theme on the fight against corruption’, which came from African leaders at the 29th session of the assembly of heads of state and government of the AU in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, on July 4.

“While thanking you for the kind words and for the nomination, I wish to express my readiness to accept this new important role and to reiterate my commitment to contribute towards our collective efforts to strengthen good governance and development on the continent. I, therefore, look forward to working closely with you in the realisation of this objective,” he said.