Buhari and I discussed for over one hour, says Osinbajo

Acting President Yemi Osinbajo has said President Muhammadu Buhari will be back in the country “very shortly”.

He said the president, whom he said he engaged in conversation for over an hour, is recuperating very well.

Speaking with state house correspondents on Wednesday, he said, “he is in very high spirit, he is recuperating very well and we had very long conversation, we spoke for well over an hour and his humor is all there. He is doing well and he is recuperating fast.”

On when Buhari should be expected back in the country, he said: “I think very very shortly. Very shortly. I think we should really expect him back very shortly. Like I said he is recuperating very fast and he is doing very very well.”

Osinbajo left Nigeria after presiding over the quarterly presidential business forum at the presidential villa in Abuja on Tuesday.

He returned in time for the weekly federal executive council meeting.

President Muhammadu Buhari has been out of the country on a medical vacation since May 7.

Below is the full text of Osinbajo’s exchange with reporters.

You just got back from seeing Mr President, what did you discuss with him?

Well, first as you know I went to see him, I went to check up on him find out how he was doing. I had of course been speaking on the phone and I thought it will be a good thing to go and see him and you know generally check up on how he was doing and also to brief him on developments back at home.
So we had a very good time, we had a very good conversation on wide-ranging issues and he is in very good spirit, he is recuperating very quickly and he is doing very well.

What is the state of health of Mr President?

Well, as I have said he is in very high spirit, he is recuperating very well and we had very long conversation, we spoke for well over an hour and his humour is all there. He is doing well and he is recuperating fast.

When is he due back?

I think very very shortly. Very shortly. I think we should really expect him back very shortly. Like I said he is recuperating very fast and he is doing very very well.

Was the report of the suspended SGF and NIA DG part of your conversation?

Wide ranging issues I really can’t go into specifics of all of the discussions we had.

Was swearing-in of the two ministers part of the discussion?

No. We didn’t discuss swearing or anything like that.

When will they be sworn in?

Well, I’m not in a position to say anything. I don’t have a date in mind but I’m sure very very soon we will do that.

Are we expecting Mr President before 90 days?

No no. Deadlines aren’t a very good thing but as I said he is recuperating fast we expecting him very shortly. Much sooner than you will expect.