President Muhammadu Buhari on Friday said he hoped that those who held #ResumeOrResign protest in front of the Abuja House in London, United Kingdom, would also join him in Nigeria now that he had returned home.

The President said now that he had returned to Nigeria, he hoped that those Nigerians would also return home.

Buhari also said that he was happy about national prayers held for his quick recovery, noting that the prayers cut across all religions and ethnic groups.

The President, who returned to the country last Saturday after spending 104 days in the British capital, spoke at a meeting he had with state governors at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

Some Nigerians in the UK had held an all-night protest against Buhari’s long absence from Nigeria at the Abuja House between 5 pm on Friday, August 18 and 9 am on Saturday, August 19, 2017, asking him to either return to Nigeria to resume work or resign so as to allow a more capable person to lead the country.

During his meeting with governors, Buhari, however, said, “I am very happy with the national prayers that cut across religions and ethnicity; people were praying.

“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. (I hope) 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 property there, they will bring some of the money here. We need it very badly here.”

The President noted that Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo used his intellect to run the country while he was away on medical vacation.

Buhari, who had earlier joined Muslim faithful at the Juma’at service inside a mosque near his office, said he monitored Osinbajo’s activities on the television while away.

He described Osinbajo’s performance during the period as commendable and explained that he invited him to London so that he could thank him for his efforts.

He said, “The efforts by the Vice-President were commendable.”

“He used his intellect to run the place. I was seeing him 24 hours on the Nigerian Television Authority.

“I congratulated him and I allowed him to come and see me (in order) to thank him personally for what he has done.”

Buhari said he was pleased with the performance of state governors based on the information available to him through the media.

He commended them for their achievements, especially in agriculture and solid minerals.

The President, however, attributed the success recorded in agriculture to Nigerians’ inability to buy foreign food.

“I am very pleased with the states, you are all doing your best and you are lucky your best is proving to be good enough for the agriculture and solid minerals (sectors). You are succeeding in agriculture because I think people cannot afford foreign food,” he said.

Ebonyi State Governor, Mr Dave Umahi, thanked Buhari for his support to states, saying without it, it would have been difficult for state governors to cope.

He mentioned the budget support, Paris Club refunds, and the agriculture sector supports as some of the areas where Buhari had intervened.

“Without this assistance, it would have been difficult for us to cope. You have treated all governors equally, irrespective of party affiliations,” the governor said.

Plateau State Governor, Mr Simon Lalong, in an interview with State House correspondents, expressed joy on Buhari’s return and prayed that God would continue to guide him.

“With him back, everything is taking shape again. This is not to say the Vice-President was not doing well as Acting President; we must commend him.

“In the absence of the President, there was no vacuum because the Acting President filled in the gap and did his best up to this moment and showed absolute loyalty, both to the nation and Mr. President,” the governor said.

Kogi State Governor, Yahaya Bello, said the meeting afforded governors the opportunity to welcome the President.

He said, “Our President went to take care of his health and now he is back healthy and healthier than before. We are here to appreciate him. We thank the Almighty God that he is back safely. We equally thank his able lieutenant, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, who held the country firm in his absence,” he said.

Punch