Buhari meets 36 Govs, says Osinbajo acts excellently in my absence

*Mocks Abuja House protesters, “I hope they’re not stuck there”

President Muhammadu Buhari has commended his deputy, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, for effectively running the government while he was on medical vacation for about 103 days in London.

Buhari made the commendation on Friday during a meeting with the 36 state governors at the Presidential Villa.

Lauding Osinbajo for effectively running the government in his absence, Buhari said, “The efforts by the Vice President is commendable. He used his intellect to run all over the place. I was seeing him 24 hours on NTA. I congratulate him and I allowed him to come and see me to thank him personally for what he has done.”

The President also expressed gratitude to the governors for their supports and prayers while in London and also commended them for piloting the affairs of their respective states.

He said, “I thank you very much for the national approach in your leadership; those who are leaders at political level and those who are chief executives in their respective states. I had so much time to watch television NTA 24, I heard so much information about the states.

“I am very pleased with the states, you are all doing your best and you are lucky your best is proofing to be good enough on agriculture and solid minerals. You are succeeding in agriculture because I think people cannot afford foreign food.

“The valuation of the Naira is not our making. It may not favour us but is something we cannot change. Some people were asking me if we should be more strict on the borders … but I want to thank God last year and this year is better than what it used to be.”

Speaking on protesters in London, Buhari wondered if they are not “stuck there with Brexit”, saying there is the need for them to weigh the implications as regards ownership of properties and payment of tax.

The President however stated that if those Nigerians eventually sell off their property in the UK, they should bring it back to Nigeria because “we need it very badly here”.

According to him, “In fact, some groups in London came and sang the national anthem and asked that I should go back home, indeed I have come back home.

“I hope those who went there are not stuck there, they will come back and join us. Those that are stuck there with the Brexit I hope they have weighed the implications that it won’t affect them including those that have property there, those who are not paying tax here, I hope when they sell their properties there they will bring some of the money here. We need it very badly here.”

Mathew Dadiya, Abuja