President Muhammadu Buhari, on Friday, returned to Nigeria from Kenya where he attended the United Nations Environmental Programme (UNEP) at 50.
This is contrary to the plan contained in an earlier press statement from the Presidency, stating that the President would proceed to London for a medical check-up after the Kenya programme.
“President Muhammadu Buhari has returned to Abuja, after his participation in the 50th Anniversary of the UN Environmental Programme in Nairobi, Kenya,” a presidential aide, Buhari Sallau, posted on Friday.
However, in a statement by Femi Adesina, media assistant to the president, on March 1, Buhari was expected to spend two weeks in London for a medical check-up.
“From Kenya, President Buhari will proceed to London for routine medical checks that will last for a maximum of two weeks,” Adesina had said in a statement titled, ‘President Buhari attends special session on UNEDP@50 in Kenya’.
Buhari’s frequent medical trips have been widely criticised.
The President visited London several times for check-ups between May 2015, when he was first elected, and 2017 for an undisclosed ailment.
His health became a subject of debate in the 2019 election when the opposition claimed he was not physically fit to govern — but Buhari won a second term.
In his congratulatory message to the Special Session to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the United Nations’ body on Thursday in Nairobi, Kenya, Buhari reiterated Nigeria’s commitment towards addressing the devastating effects of climate change.
He said, “During last year’s COP26 in Glasgow, Parties worked towards spurring action to reduce greenhouse gas emissions while also pledging to take steps to adapt to climate impacts.
“Nations are constantly facing the threats of disrupted weather patterns, low food production and rising sea levels that increase the risk of catastrophic flooding among other challenges.
“In that regard, Nigeria pledged to work with other countries in achieving the goals of the Paris Agreement and in doing so has increased her conditional contribution to reducing greenhouse gas from 45 per cent to 47 per cent.
“I take this opportunity to urge redoubled collective efforts to improve and sustain climate action, nature action, chemical and pollution action, air, bio-safety, disasters and conflicts, green economy, gender, oceans and seas, resource efficiency, water, and youth education in order to save our planet and achieve the 2030 agenda on sustainable development.”
