Shettima visits London to check on ailing Buhari, Abdulsalami

Vice President Kashim Shettima has visited ailing former President Muhammadu Buhari in London.

Sources said the vice president made the trip at the instance of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, who directed him to travel to London after his visit to Ethiopia.

It was learnt that the President’s directive arose from disturbing information about the former president’s state of health, although his aide Bashir Ahmad cleared the doubts about his “critical situation”.

It was gathered that part of why the vice president was directed to visit the former President was to ascertain his true state of health and ensure that whatever support was needed to enhance his health was provided.

Shettima, at the invitation of Ethiopian Prime Minister Dr. Abiy Ahmed Ali, attended the inauguration of Ethiopia’s Green Legacy Initiative (GLI) in Addis Ababa last week. While on the trip, he explored Ethiopia’s agricultural revolutions and progress.

The vice president, who travelled on a Sunday night and arrived on Monday, according to sources, went straight to see the former President and spent hours with him. He delivered the President’s good wishes and prayed for his quick recovery.

He also went to see former Head of State, Gen. Abdulsalami Abubakar, who is recuperating in London, after a medical treatment.

Abdulsalami, 83, handed over power from military to President Olusegun Obasanjo in 1999 at the outset of the return to civil rule.

Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Communications (Office of the Vice President), Mr. Stanley Nkwocha, said the vice president paid a private visit to the United Kingdom at the time, but could not explained what he went to do.

“It was an entirely private trip. I didn’t have access to his itinerary.”

When news broke on Buhari’s illness in London, his aide Ahmad, dispelled the impression that he was in a bad shape, saying the former President was on the path to full recovery.

“It is true that former President Buhari is unwell and is currently receiving medical attention. However, contrary to the exaggerated claims circulating in the media, he is stable and responding well to treatment, and we are optimistic about his full recovery,” Ahmad wrote on X.

. NATION