Zamfara State governor, Abdullazeez Yari, on Saturday said President Muhammadu Buhari’s return to the country will impact positively on the economy as well as the security sector.
Yari who also doubles as the Chairman of Nigeria Governors Forum (NGF), stated this while fielding questions from State House Correspondents at the tarmac of the Presidential Wing of the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, while waiting for the President’s arrival.
According to him, Nigerians will begin to notice the difference between when the President was away and now that he is back, he was quick to add that though Acting President Yemi Osinbajo did a good job of holding the fort, the difference will be clear.
“This is the moment that Nigerians have been waiting for over 90 days. We as governors that paid him a visit what we saw the first time we reported to Nigerians, Nigerians will see for themselves. We pray to God to give the President good health and for him to continue to manage the economy for the benefit of Nigerians.”
On the impact of the economy, he said, “It will impact seriously because is just like a body when the head is cut off so the body will not make any meaningful achievement. The fact that he has a vibrant Vice President who can work effectively when he is not around does not mean you can compare the difference between when he is around and when the two of them are around. It will impact on the economy and it will impact on the security, it means so many things will change.”
Though negotiations led by the Acting President have seen the increase in oil production in the country as global oil prices picked, industry watchers say investors have been slow to put down their monies given the uncertainty of the political space and the resurgence of Boko Haram attacks.
The Kano Governor Abdullahi Umar Ganduje who also spoke to journalists said, “Nigerians are happy and we are happy. We did say when we visited that he was doing better and will soon return. It will impact on the socio economic activities in the country because now that the number decision maker is now around. He and his deputy will take decision together and things will be done in a more quicker way. We will see improvement.”
On the impact on the economy, he said the President’s return will impact “on security there is no doubt about that because there are certain decisions you know the Acting President will have to communicate to him but now that he is coming back that would no longer be necessary.”
President Buhari is returning after spending over 100 days in London where he was receiving treatment for an undisclosed ailment.
Meanwhile, Presidential Media Aide, Femi Adesina, told reporters at the tarmac that the President’s return had nothing to do with the protests in Nigeria and subsequently London on Friday, asking the President to either return home to Nigeria or or resign .
A group known as “OurMumuDonDo”, led by the convener, Deji Adeyanju, and one of its leaders, Charles Oputa, popularly known as Charly Boy, had staged protests asking the President to either resume work or resign and also make public the cause of his illness.
Another group, under the platform of Center for Civil Society and Justice, CCSJ, led by Comrade Prince Goodluck Obi Nelson, had also staged protests, saying the President should be left alone to recover fully from his ailment and continue his fight against corruption.
According to Adesina “The return of the President has nothing to do with the protest. It is about continuing with the work he started. Some of us knew bout his return some days back. Remember that the acting President held on effectively and they will continue the work together. We left the work of announcement with the managers of the acting President”.
Elizabeth Archibong
