Saraki: Buhari is cheerful and healthy

Senate President Bukola Saraki has insisted that President Muhammadu Buhari is ‘healthy’ after leading a National Assembly delegation to see Buhari.

Saraki, Speaker, House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara and the Senate majority leader, Ahmed Lawan met with the president at the Abuja House on Wednesday.

“We were delighted to see that President Buhari is doing well, was cheerful and in good spirits. The president I saw today is healthy, witty and himself,” Saraki said in a post on his Facebook page.

Buhari had earlier in February received former governor of Lagos State and leader of the ruling All Progressive Congress (APC) Asiwaju Tinubu and former chairman of the party Chief Bisi Akande. The president also spoke to the US President Donald Trump.

In spite of the criticism and controversies his absence has generated, Saraki said Buhari being away from the country has not created a vacuum in the government and insisted that ‘there is no cause for alarm.’

“The president’s absence and imminent return show that there is no vacuum in government and our system of democracy is working with all organs of government fulfilling their mandate,” He said

Buhari left Nigeria in January for London to “undergo routine medical check-ups” during a short holiday and was expected to resume work on February 6. But he later extended the vacation on the advice of his doctors, his spokesman, Femi Adesina said then.

“President Muhammadu Buhari has written to the National Assembly today, February 5, 2017, informing of his desire to extend his leave in order to complete and receive the results of a series of tests recommended by his doctors,” Adesina said in a statement.

“The President had planned to return to Abuja this (Sunday) evening but was advised to complete the test cycle before returning. The notice has since been dispatched to the Senate President, and Speaker, House of Representatives.

“Mr President expresses his sincere gratitude to Nigerians for their concern, prayers and kind wishes.”

Buhari’s current visit to London would make it the second time in less than a year he has gone there for medical treatment