Muhammadu
Buhari and his deputy Yemi Osinbajo were sworn into office on May 29, 2015, two
months after securing the first opposition victory against a sitting president
in Nigerian history.
igeria’s
ailing president was glaringly absent on Monday as his deputy marked their
two
years in power, with no word on the head of state’s health three weeks after he
went on indefinite medical leave.
Muhammadu
Buhari and his deputy Yemi Osinbajo were sworn into office on May 29, 2015, two
months after securing the first opposition victory against a sitting president
in Nigerian history.
But their
election pledges to defeat Boko Haram Islamists and tackle endemic corruption
have been overshadowed, first by an economic recession and increasingly by
speculation about Buhari’s health.
The
74-year-old former military ruler spent nearly two months being treated for an
undisclosed illness in London in January and February.
He left for
a fresh round of treatment in the British capital on May 7 and has not been
heard from or seen since.
Rumours
swirled that he may send a pre-recorded message to the nation for Monday’s
public holiday.
But Osinbajo
said only in a speech: “I bring you good wishes from President Muhammadu
Buhari, who as we all know is away from the country on medical vacation.”
He ended by
asking for people’s “continued prayers for the restoration to full health and
strength and the safe return of our president”.
Elephant in
the room
Buhari’s
health — and his ability to lead — has increasingly overshadowed politics in
Nigeria, particularly in the last three weeks because of the lack of update.
Presidential
aides told reporters at a briefing in Abuja last week that they would not even
answer questions about it.
But Buhari
did not attend a G7 summit in Sicily last week, although he was among several
African leaders invited. Osinbajo went in his place.
During his
time in London earlier this year, they insisted Buhari was “hale and hearty”,
despite his increasingly frail appearance, and had to counter rumours he was
terminally ill and even dead.
Buhari
himself admitted on his return to Abuja in March that he “had never been so
sick” and had undergone blood transfusions.
Since then,
he was rarely seen in public, missed a succession of cabinet meetings, Friday
prayers and his grandson’s wedding.
Aides again
insisted he was working from his private residence on doctors’ orders.
As well as
political uncertainty, despite the formal handover of powers to Osinbajo,
Buhari’s illness has triggered an earlier-than-usual jostling for position for
the 2019 election and talk about succession.
‘Democracy
Day’
May 29 —
known as “Democracy Day” for the date civilian rule was restored in Nigeria in
1999 — has typically been used by the government of the day to run through a
checklist of its achievements.
Osinbajo was
no different, pointing to successes in weakening Boko Haram jihadists in the
northeast and the release, rescue or discovery of 106 of the 219 Chibok
schoolgirls held by the group since 2014.
Buhari was
last seen in a photocall with 82 of the girls just before he left for London.
Osinbajo
also outlined progress tackling security threats from militants in the
oil-producing south, and conflict between farmers and herdsmen in central
states.
He also
reaffirmed the government’s determination to root out corruption and vowed no
let-up against suspects.
He
acknowledged the economy had been “the biggest challenge of all”, because of
sustained low global oil prices that cut government revenue, leading to a
weakened currency and higher inflation.
Nigeria,
which is Africa’s biggest economy on paper, has been in recession since August
last year.
Osinbajo
pledged to “build on the successes of the last two” years until the end of
their time in office.
“Our vision
is for a country that grows what it eats and produces what it consumes. It is
for a country that no longer has to import petroleum products, and develops a
lucrative petrochemical industry,” he said.
“Very
importantly it is for a country whose fortunes are no longer tied to the price
of a barrel of crude, but instead to the boundless talent and energy of its
people, young and old, male and female as they invest in diverse areas of the
economy.”
AFP
0 Comments