What I discussed with Buhari, his return to Nigeria – Osinbajo

The Acting President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, has given an insight into his discussion with President Muhammadu Buhari.

Osinbajo, who spoke with State House Correpondents shortly before the Federal Executive Council meeting on Wednesday, equally spoke about the state of health of the President.

When asked what he discussed with Buhari, Osinbajo said: “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.”

On Buhari’s state of health, the Acting President said: “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 humor is all there. He is doing well and he is recuperating fast.”

Osinbajo, however, will not commit himself to when Buhari should be expected back in the country, not even when a timeframe of 90 days was suggested to him.

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.”

When asked if the President should be expected back within 90 days, Osinbajo said: “No no. Deadlines aren’t a very good thing but as I said he is recuperating fast we expecting him very shortly. Much sooner perhaps than you will expect.”

On if he discussed with Buhari the suspension of the Director General of the National Intelligence Agency, Ambassador Ayo Oke, and the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Babachir Lawal, Osinbajo responded: “Wide ranging issues I really can’t go into specifics of all of the discussions we had.”

On the inauguration of the two ministers-designate, Osinbajo said the topic did not feature in the discussion with Buhari.

He said: “No. We didn’t discuss swearing or anything like that. We didn’t discuss when they will be sworn in.”

Osinbajo also will not commit himself to when the ministers-designate will be inaugurated.

He said: “Well, I’m not in a position to say exactly, I don’t have a date in mind but I’m sure very very soon we will do that.”