Buhari: Osinbajo will keep acting as I continue my rest (updated)

President Muhammadu Buhari has asked Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo to continue in acting capacity while he keeps resting this weekend.

Buhari returned to the country on Friday morning after a medical vacation in the UK.

“I deliberately came back towards the weekend so that the vice-president will continue and I will continue to rest. Thank you very much,” he said.

Shortly after his arrival, he met with top government officials at the first lady conference room of the presidential villa in Abuja.

Abba Kyari, chief of staff to the president; Babagana Monguno, national security adviser; Lawal Daura, director-general of the Department of State Services (DSS) and Femi Adesina, presidential spokesman; were among those who attended the meeting.

Abdullahi Ganduje, governor of Kano state, and Abdulaziz Yari, his Zamfara state counterpart, also attended.

Buhari expressed gratitude to all those who prayed for him during his time in London, and asked for more prayers.

He said he was feeling better, but still needed to rest.

He retired into his residence at the end of the meeting.

Buhari left the country on January 19, after transmitting a letter to the national assembly that he was going on a 10-day vacation.

He told the lawmakers that he had handed over to Osinbajo, who was in Davos, Switzerland for the World Economic Forum, at the time.

Osinbajo had to cut short his trip to take over the responsibilities.

Buhari was expected back in the country on February 5, but he extended his vacation indefinitely, saying he was awaiting results of some medical tests.

Two weeks after, Adesina said the results of the tests showed his principal needed a longer period of rest.

But on Sunday, Buhari hinted that the end of his medical vacation was near.

The president had told Yahaya Bello, governor of Kogi state, that he would soon return to the country to continue his assignment of “providing purposeful leadership for the nation”.