27th July, 2017
Ebonyi State Governor, Dave Umahi, of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has described the recovery rate of President Muhammadu Buhari as a miracle.
Umahi, who is one of the seven governors that visited the President in London on Wednesday, told a PUNCH correspondent on the telephone that he and his colleagues were surprised with the level of his (President) recovery.
Apart from Umahi, others governors in the entourage are Udom Emmanuel (Akwa Ibom), Abdulaziz Yari (Zamfara), Abiola Ajimobi (Oyo), Samuel Ortom (Benue), Umar Ganduje (Kano) and Kashim Shettima (Borno).
Six of the governors were chosen based on the six geo-political zones in the country while the governor of Zamfara State was picked because of his position as the chairman of the Nigeria Governors Forum (NGF).
Umahi, who was one of the two governors from the PDP, said that it was difficult for members of the opposition to believe what they were being told by the handlers of the President that he was getting better.
Governor AyOdele Fayose of Ekiti State had insisted in a series of outburst that Buhari was on life support and threatened to release some damning photographs showing the president’s health condition.
Umahi, however, said that he was happy, just like the other six governors, that the President was making progress and that he had improved very well.
The governor said Buhari would soon return to the country as soon as his doctors certified him alright.
“We met a cheerful President whose level of recovery is a miracle. We know he will soon return home as soon as his doctors certify him to do so. What he’s treating is not mere malaria that we can say he will return today or tomorrow.
“However, we are happy and we thank God for what we saw. It is contrary to the pictures people are painting on the social media. The President we saw is recuperating well and we are happy for that.
“It is even better that, we as members of the opposition party, are among the entourage. Nigerians should continue to pray for the President,” Umahi said.
Asked whether the President told them the likely date of his return, he said no, adding that there was no need to be too expectant, saying that Acting President Yemi Osinbajo was doing a good job.
“We don’t need to panic because we have a hardworking acting President who is doing a fantastic job. All we need to do as Nigerians is to continue to pray for the President,” the governor added.
Emmanuel is the other PDP governor on the delegation to London.
Buhari has been out of the country since May 7.