Femi Adesina, Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, says President Muhammadu Buhari would travel out again if the need arises.

Adesina said this during an interview with Channels Television on Monday, but he added that Nigerians are praying and hoping that the President has fully recovered and will not need to return to London for medical treatment.

He said: “What Nigerians should hope for is that our President should remain whole. That is what we should hope for, but if there is any reason to go out, why not?

“You need to first stay alive before you can lead a country. So whatever it takes for our President to remain healthy should be done. But we want to hope and believe that the worst is over.”

Buhari had been quoted as saying, during his campaign in February 2015, that he would not embark on foreign medical trip but would rather make Nigerian healthcare more functional and effective. When this was brought to Adesina’s attention, he replied that it could not be proven that the President actually made the comments.

“That statement you just quoted, I have seen it a couple of times but I have not been able to authenticate it,” Adesina said.

“You know that there are several apocryphal statements always credited to the President, [but] that particular one I have not been able to authenticate it. But you know that the President is committed to uplifting the state of the country.

“This broadcast is just the first step; there will be many other steps after it. So if that [the issue of healthcare] did not come up, I’m sure that as we go forward the President will talk about the state of healthcare in the country.

“You know this administration rode to power on the plank of change, and before the terminal date of the administration, change must be evident in several ways. I believe that in our healthcare we will see that.”