Why President Buhari Is Allowing Governors, Others To Visit Him In London — Presidency

Yesterday, the Presidency said President Muhammadu Buhari had initially barred politicians and other individuals from visiting him in London, the United Kingdom, where he has been receiving medical attention since May 7.

It attributed the President’s change of mind to what it called “the change in circumstances.”

It said this was the proper time for him to receive delegations rather than when he was indisposed.The Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Mr. Femi Adesina; and the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Mr. Garba Shehu, disclosed this to State House correspondents at a press conference at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

They addressed journalists alongside the Senior Special Assistant to the Acting President on Media and Publicity, Mr. Laolu Akande.

They had confirmed The PUNCH’s Tuesday lead story that some state governors, drawn from both the ruling All Progressives Congress and the opposition Peoples Democratic Party, would visit Buhari in London.

When asked specifically to give the mission of the state governors, who will be meeting with Buhari on Wednesday (today), Shehu said, “The visit is a goodwill visit and there is nothing more than that.

“I believe Nigerians in various positions have yearned to go and meet the President and at some point, this obviously has not been permitted.

But given the change in circumstances, you can see that it is coming from London itself and the President is welcoming it.

“It is a goodwill visit. As a cultural people, we visit people leaving hospital and I am sure the President himself will be delighted to see people coming from the six geopolitical zones to convey the goodwill of Nigerians.”Shehu said the visiting team would be led by the Chairman of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum and the Zamfara State Governor, Abdulazeez Yari.

He listed other members of the delegation to include Dave Umahi (Ebonyi); Umar Ganduje (Kano);  Kashim Shettima (Borno); Samuel Ortom (Benue); Udom Emmanuel (Akwa Ibom) and Abiola Ajimobi (Oyo).

The presidential spokesman said the delegation would leave Nigeria on Tuesday night, arrive in London early on Wednesday (today) and meet the President by 3pm.