Buhari might return next week, senators to hold high-powered meeting with him – Ben Bruce

– Though no specific date has been officially given for President Muhammadu Buhari’s return, there are speculations that he may be back to the country by next week – Senator Ben Murray

-Bruce gave hints that there may be a possible high powered meeting between the Senate and Buhari when he returns to the country

– According to him, they need to speak with the president about all the issues plaguing the nation

The Senator representing Bayelsa East, Ben Murray-Bruce, has hinted that President Muhammadu Buhari might be returning to the country anytime next week.

Recall that Buhari left the country on May 7 for a follow-up on his medical consultations in London. He has been away for close to three months and Yemi Osinbajo has been playing the role of acting president.

In an interview with Vanguard on Friday, August 4, Senator Bruce hinted that there might likely be a high-powered meeting between the Senate and Buhari upon his return. Bruce said he would ask the Senate president, Bukola Saraki, that they sit down with Buhari and discuss all the issues affecting the country and he hopes his request will be granted.

The senator said the issues they would discuss with the president would be all encompassing.

He lamented about the hardship in the country saying Nigeria had not really made any kind of progress in the last two years. Bruce said: “Nigeria has not really made any progress in the last 2 years.

I think we are in big trouble right now. When the President gets back, we would need to sit down with him and have a conversation. There is no point having a conversation with anybody who is not a president.

“I am thinking the Senate. We will have a conversation. A bipartisan team will go and meet with Mr. President and have a conversation with him. Not APC senators meeting the president but the Senate meeting him and have a conversation on the future of Nigeria. That’s what I am gonna propose. That we sit down with him and discuss the issues. He’s the president and you can’t change that and I respect constitutional authority. He is the President of Nigeria and we will sit down with him and discuss the problems facing the country. In 2019 when there is another president, that will be another issue. But right now, he is the president and we need to sit down with him and discuss the issues. I understand he will be here next week.”

Speaking about the educational sector, he said previous administrations did a lousy job, wondering why they have not changed the educational policy set up by the colonial masters.

He said Nigeria’s educational policy is 1942 policy.

On the agitations in the oil-rich Niger Delta region, he said the zone was a ticking time bomb waiting to explode. He said the region was underdeveloped and there was need for an urgent dialogue between the agitators and the federal government.

He said a lot of people, including past administrations are to blame for the underdevelopment and a programme needs to be put in place to develop the region.

Buhari has been away on medical leave in London for nearly three months and no specific date has been given for his return.

The presidency has continued to assure Nigerians that Buhari is doing fine and recovering fast though they have refused to disclose the nature of his illness.

Some governors elected on the platform of the ruling All Progressives Congress and the opposition Peoples Democratic Party paid him a visit recently in London.