BREAKING: BUHARI ABSENT AT JUMMAT PRAYER IN ASO VILLA.

   President Muhammadu Buhari on Friday failed to worship at the Presidential Villa, Abuja mosque. The reason for his absence was not known as at press time.

Dr. Abubakar Bukola Saraki, Senate President (second left) representing President Muhammadu Buhari at the Jummat prayers commemorating the 2017 Armed Forces Rememberance Day. With him (from left) are Senator Sulieman Hunkuyi, Sen. Kabiru Gaya, Sen. Kabiru Marafa, Minister of FCT, Mohammed Bello, Chief of Army Staff, Tukur Buratai and the Inspector General of Police, Ibrahim Idris at the National Mosque, Abuja yesterday.

But the State House had on Thursday issued a statement that the President was recuperating at his private residence, a reason why he is rarely seen in the public. However Governors Ibikunle Amosun (Ogun State); Abdulaziz Yari (Zamfara State) and Abdulahi Ganduje (Kano State) were amongst those that worshiped at the Villa Mosque. Yesterday Aso Villa has assured Nigerians that there is no need for apprehension over the health of our President, Muhammadu Buhari, despite concerns being raised in the media. In a statement today, senior special assistant on media, Malam Garba Shehu said President Buhari’s absence at the Federal Executive Council meeting of Wednesday, April 26, was a last minute decision. “Otherwise, the cabinet and the public might have been alerted in advance. As eager as he is to be up and about, the President’s doctors have advised on his taking things slowly, as he fully recovers from the long period of treatment in the United Kingdom some weeks ago. “President Buhari himself, on his return to the country, made Nigerians aware of the state of his health while he was in London. Full recovery is sometimes a slow process, requiring periods of rest and relaxation, as the Minister for Information, Lai Mohammed, intimated in his press briefing after the FEC meeting on Wednesday. “Despite his lack of visibility, Nigerians should rest assured that President Buhari has not abdicated his role as Commander-in-Chief of Nigeria. “He receives daily briefings on the activities of government, and confers regularly with his Vice President, Professor Yemi Osinbajo. “His private residence, in which he has been spending the majority of his time recently, also has a fully equipped office. “God is the giver of life and health. We are grateful that He has seen our President through the worst period of his convalescence in London. “We are thankful that the President has passed a number of benchmarks already. We pray that God continues to see him through this period of recuperation. “