Outgoing President Muhammadu Buhari has thanked Nigerians who prayed for his recovery when he fell sick during his first tenure as president and commander in chief.
The president showed his appreciation during his national broadcast to the country as he prepares to step down from office as commander-in-chief.
He will hand over power to Bola Ahmed Tinubu on May 29 as his successor after spending a maximum of eight years in office.
As the curtain falls on his administration, the president, however, remembered the very trying times of his administration when he fell ill, and some thought at the time that he will not recover.
In fact, not a few had spread rumour at the time that Buhari was already dead and that the man in Aso Rock, Nigeria’s Seat of Power ruling the country was one Jubril from Sudan.
But speaking on Sunday in his farewell speech, President Buhari said he could not have survived the ailment without the prayers of Nigerians.
“I thank those that prayed for me when I fell ill in 2015,” the president said “praying for those that prayed for me” that God will continue to be with you.
Buhari’s tenure as president of the country had been marred by medical trips abroad due to his undisclosed since he took over power in 2015.
His medical vacation started on February 15, 2016, when he traveled to London and spent six days
His second medical trip came on June 6, 2016. He traveled for 10 days to England, seeking further treatment for an ear infection. The president extended his trip by three days before coming back on June 19, 2016.
By January 19, 2017, Buhari wrote to the Nigerian Senate, one he had a frosty relationship with at the time, disclosing his intention to travel abroad on a 10-day vacation and that he would hand over to Vice President Yemi Osinbajo.
Although the letter said he would commence the vacation on January 23, 2017, Buhari departed Nigeria on the same day he wrote the lawmakers.
On March 10 of that year, exactly 50 days after his departure, Buhari returned but was not able to resume work immediately.
He has been in and out of the country to take care of his health since then.
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