Nigeria: Anxiety mounts over departure of presidential Jet from London

Posted by admin Latest Politics Sunday, August 6th, 2017

By Johnbosco Agbakwuru

There was speculation that the Presidential jet in London departed the country perhaps to Nigeria which caused tension within the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

But the media team of President Muhammadu Buhari denied knowledge of such thing, saying that it should be taken as rumour as there was no information available to them suggesting that the President had left London where he is on medical vacation.

Recall that President Buhari had left the country on 7th May to see his doctors in London, the United Kingdom and had handed the button of leadership to the Vice President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo to act on his behalf

However, there have been insinuations in some quarters that the President’s health had recorded a remarkable improvement that would warrant him to return to the country soon.

The speculation about the President’s return was rife Tuesday when some sources in London had claimed that Mr. President’s aircraft had taken off from there to Abuja even as it was reported that some staff at the Presidential Villa had been on standby since Monday.

But when Vanguard sought the confirmation of the alleged departure of the Presidential aircraft from London from the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu, he said he was not aware of such development.

Also in denial of any knowledge of the alleged departure of the Presidential aircraft from London was the Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Mr. Femi Adeshina who said he was not informed of anything like that.

According to him, “BBC also called me and said the president’s aircraft had taken off, I should confirm it. I said the tradition is that if the president is coming, we will be asked to issue a statement but there has been no such instruction.”

As at the time of filing this report late Tuesday night, there was no confirmation to the effect that the presidential aircraft had left London and there was no movement within the Presidential Villa to support the rumour.

-Vanguard

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