AILING President Muhammadu Buhari of Nigeria is to return to the country soon from London where he is receiving medical treatment for an undisclosed ailment.

Bukola Saraki, president of the Senate, said on Thursday, August 17, after he and Yakubu Dogara, speaker of House of Representatives, visited the president in London. “It is clear that Mr President’s insistence on following his doctors’ advice has yielded the desired results,” Saraki said, adding: “I, therefore, confidently look forward to Mr President’s imminent return home.”

The Senate president said this in a statement that Buhari was abreast of the goings-on in Nigeria and that the meeting with the 74-year old leader was “of substance where we discussed important matters of state” including the 2017 budget.

“In particular, we talked about the virement request by the presidency which is before the National Assembly,” the Senate president said. “We then considered the steps to be taken in the preparation of the 2018 budget to ensure its early passage.”

Saraki and Dogara were the latest Nigerian public officials to meet Buhari in London.

Last week, the president received a team of his media aides including Lai Mohammed, Nigeria’s information minister, Femi Adesina and Garba Shehu, president’s spokesmen, Lauretta Onochie, his personal assistant on social media as well as Abike Dabiri-Erewa, his senior adviser on foreign affairs and diaspora.

Buhari has spent more than 100 days in London, having left Nigeria on May 7, transferring power to Vice President Yemi Osinbajo as acting president.

His absence from the country has spun a few yet sustained protests in the Nigerian capital city Abuja. Counter protests by groups loyal to the president have also been held. Face offs between the two groups have resulted in violence.

Aug 18, 2017 @ 15:15 GMT