President Buhari On Medical Trip, Says V.P. Osibanjo Takes Charge Till He Returns

Buhari says Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo is now in charge of the country for the time being

Nigeria's President, Muhammadu Buhari says Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo is now in charge of the country as he takes a trip to the United Kingdom for a medical checkup. The president said this shortly before he departed Abuja for a routine medical check-up in London, the United Kingdom.

President Buhari had initially planned to embark on the trip from Nairobi, Kenya after attending the United Nations Environmental Programme (UNEP) at 50 in that country. His spokesman, Femi Adesina, had on March 1, said from Kenya, the president would proceed to London for “routine medical checks that will last for a maximum of two weeks.”

According to Adesina’s statement, Buhari is due to return to Abuja in two weeks is from the day of his departure, Sunday, March 6th. Fielding questions from reporters before his departure at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, Buhari said Vice President Yemi Osinbajo was in charge constitutionally when he was out of the country. The President said his absence would not affect state functions as he is aware of every development taking place in his absence.

When asked about how the country would function in his absence, he said: “Well, I cannot claim to be doing the work alone. The government is fully represented. The Vice President is there. Constitutionally, when I’m away, he’s in charge. Then, we have the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, and then the Chief of Staff, so, there’s no problem.”

On the anxiety over the March 26 convention of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), he doused tension and said the party had the capacity to organize the program. On what he would tell Nigerians who had expressed doubts regarding the ability of the APC to conduct its national convention successfully, he said, “Well, they should wait and see. How did we come as a party to take power from the ruling party which had been there before us for so many years? So, we have the capacity. Everything will be all right.”

It is not clear if Buhari transmitted a hand over letter to the National Assembly, pending his return to the country.