Group urges Nigerians to pray for Buhari’s quick recovery

The Muslim Media Watch Group of Nigeria (MMWG), has advised Nigerians not to politicise the health of President Muhammadu Buhari, but pray for him to recover quickly.

The group gave the advice in a statement issued by its National Coordinator, Alhaji Ibrahim Abdullahi and made available to newsmen on Monday in Abuja.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that President Buhari, who had been ill for some time now, returned to the United Kingdom on Sunday night for further medical check-up.

Abdullahi said that Nigerians should realise that Buhari’s illness was not new in world history and its leaders.

He recalled that some American, British, South African and Ghanaian leaders had been sick while in office.

According to him, citizens of those countries did not politicise the health condition of their leaders at such times as Nigerians were presently doing.

“We seem to display too much disaffection for our leaders because of ethnic, political or religious interest.

“We forget that no leader gets to such an enviable position without the votes of Christians and Muslims as well as tribes from all parts of the country.“

Abdullahi appealed to the Nigerian press to as a matter of patriotism ignore henceforth further negative comments on the president’s health or treatment abroad.

He advised that Nigerian media should demonstrate their valuable professional ethics in handling issues concerning the president`s health.

“We enjoin the Nigerian Union of Journalists (NUJ), Nigerian Guild of Editors (NGE) and the Newspaper Proprietors Association of Nigerian (NPAN) to caution their members and staffers respectively in this regard.“

He maintained that Buhari’s health issue should be treated with discipline and maturity in order to move the country forward.

The national coordinator, however, commended the Federal Government on the recent release of 82 abducted Chiboks girls by the Boko Haram, their abductors.

He said the development confirmed the seriousness of the President Buhari-led administration`s commitment to the return of the remaining abducted girls.

“The gradual return of these innocent girls is a fulfilment of his electoral promise of tackling the problem in a decisive and successful manner.

“With the battle of insecurity in the North-East being virtually won, Nigerians should applaud this administration“.

Abdullahi said that the administration should be applauded for its success in the fight against corruption, insecurity and the new fiscal policies aimed at moving the country out of recession.

The coordinator commended the negotiators, facilitators and security agencies that took part in the release of Chibok girls.

He appealed to the Federal Government to fast-track the rehabilitation of the 102 Chibok girls released in the last six months to enable them return to school early.