Buhari Arrives In Nigeria Today After 10-day Medical Holiday

Barring any last minute changes in plan, President Muhammadu Buhari is expected back in the country on Thursday (today) from London.

Buhari had penultimate Monday commenced a 10-day holiday and proceeded to London on the same day.

The Presidency had, in a statement, indicated that the President would during the visit to the United Kingdom, see an Ear, Nose and Throat specialist for a persistent ear infection.

The 10-day holiday ended on Wednesday.

A source in the Presidency, who spoke on condition of anonymity, told The PUNCH on Wednesday that arrangements had been put in place to receive the President, who is due back in the country on Thursday.

“He is expected back on Thursday (today). We are in touch with him. As of today (Wednesday), we have not been told that there is any change in arrangement,” the source said.

The Presidency had, on Monday, released photographs of the visit of the Archbishop of Canterbury, Most Revd, Justin Welby, to Buhari in London.

Welby, who presented a souvenir to the President, was in company with Nigeria-born Secretary-General of Anglican Communion Worldwide, Most Revd. Idowu Fearon.

Buhari had so far embarked on holiday twice this year.

The President had earlier embarked on a six-day holiday between February 5 and 10, 2016.

Like the case of the second visit, Buhari remained in London throughout the first holiday.

He had earlier granted an interview where he said the doctors he had been consulting since the 1970s were based in London.

Buhari had, before leaving the country, written to the National Assembly to inform the federal lawmakers of his medical trip.

He had indicated in the letter that Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo would perform the duties of the President while he would be away.

Meanwhile, the Presidency on Wednesday commended the House of Representatives for giving prompt action to two executive bills that scaled through second reading.

This was contained in a statement on Wednesday in Abuja by the Special Assistant to the President on National Assembly Matters (House of Reps), Alhaji Suleiman Kawu.

“We wish to thank the House of Representatives, under the leadership of Speaker Yakubu Dogara, for passing two of our bills today, June 15, 2016,” Kawu said in the statement.

“One is a Bill for an Act to Provide for the Domestication and Enforcement in Nigeria of the Avoidance of Double Taxation Agreement between the Federal Republic of Nigeria and the Kingdom of Spain.

“The other is a Bill for an Act to Provide for the Domestication and Enforcement in Nigeria of the Avoidance of Double Taxation Agreement between the Federal Republic of Nigeria and the Republic of South Korea and for Other Related Matters.”

According to the statement, the action has shown that the House is solidly behind the executive on its numerous policies aimed at making Nigeria better.

“We hope you will also pass our other bills that are currently before the House with the same zeal that you passed these two,” the Presidency stated.