Tinubu, support group visit Buhari in London

Muhammadu Buhari and Bola Tinubu

National leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Bola Tinubu, on Sunday, visited President Muhammadu Buhari in London as criticism trails the Nigerian leader’s stay in the United Kingdom.

A group known as Buhari Diaspora Support Organization, led by Charles Sylvester, also visited.


President Buhari travelled out of Nigeria on Monday, April 9, fuelling speculation that he was going for medical treatment

He spent more than 150 days over two trips to the country last year to treat an undisclosed ailment.

His current trip came nine days before the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meetings scheduled for April 18 to 20, which he is expected to attend.

Like last year, he has received visitors, including the Archbishop of Canterbury, Rev Justin Welby, on courtesy visit.

Tinubu was one of the people who visited him during his extended stay in London last year.

No statement was released after his visit on Sunday.

A statement by presidential spokesman, Femi Adesina, however, quoted Buhari as telling members of the Buhari Diaspora Support Organization, “We will do our best to justify your trust in us, and that confidence won’t be abused.”

The president noted that Nigeria was gifted with tremendous human and natural resources, but regretted that “failure of some of the leadership we had in the past led to our not being able to capitalize on resources to improve the lot of the people.”

Saying wicked people plundered the country, “and kept Nigerians poor,” Buhari added that looking at the condition in which the current administration met the country, without savings and the economy badly vandalized, “we have not done too badly.”

He commended the Buhari Diaspora Support Organization for deciding to identify with the country, saying “when you could have stayed here, and being comfortable.”

Coordinator of the group, Mr Sylvester, said they were happy with the achievements of the Buhari administration so far.