Gov Udom meets Osinbajo after London visit to Buhari

Akwa Ibom State Governor, Udom Emmanuel, on Friday had a closed-door meeting with the Acting President, Yemi Osinbajo, at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.


The meeting came barely 48 hours after Emmanuel joined six other members of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum to visit ailing President Muhammadu Buhari in London, where he has been receiving medical treatment since May 7.

Although he did not disclose the subject of his discussion with Osinbajo, the governor told State House correspondents that his interaction with Buhari in London showed that God had answered the prayers of Nigerians.

He said, “Let me thank God for the life of the President and thank God for Nigerians, too. I also appreciate Nigerians who have prayed sincerely and earnestly for Mr. President and I think God has actually answered the prayers of Nigerians.

“From the photographs, you could see that God has actually answered our prayers, so some of us were quite excited to see Mr. President. He welcomed us, discussed with us and he was also happy to see us.

“So, what you are seeing both on television and newspapers are genuine. God has actually healed our President and we thank God for that.”

When asked what the governors discussed with Buhari, Emmanuel refused to disclose the details.

He, however, said the discussion was in the interest of the country.

He said, “I don’t think when you hold a meeting, even with your wife and children, you will come and make that public.

“The President is the father of the nation and we represent the sub-units of this nation and so, it is not everything that we discussed that we should just come out and say.

“It was a closed-door meeting, but be assured that whatever the President discussed with the governors was in the best interest of all the citizens of this country.”

When asked to give an idea of when Buhari would be back in the country, Emmanuel said he could not do so because he was not a doctor.

He also noted that the President’s return day was not the issue, but the fact that God had healed him.

The governor said, “I am not a medical doctor. Let me say something here, when you have a father, you will love him and take interest in his well-being.

“Let me also say, some of us behave as if the President and the governors are supermen. We are human beings, we also have challenges. So let us not think that because we are governors or President, we are supermen.

“We are not gods, we are mere mortals like any of us here. So, that should also make us play down on the way we look at certain issues.”

Emmanuel had on Wednesday joined six other state governors — Abdulaziz Yari (Zamfara), Dave Umahi (Ebonyi), Umar Ganduje (Kano),  Kashim Shettima (Borno), Samuel Ortom (Benue) and Abiola Ajimobi (Oyo) — to visit Buhari at the Abuja House, London.