The international media is awash with reports of an African President who has returned to his home after a foreign medical trip abroad, but it is not President Muhammadu Buhari as many Nigerians must have been anticipating.

Buhari has been receiving medical treatment in the UK since early May, with Yemi Osinbajo, Acting President, recently saying the President would be back in the country “very shortly, much sooner than you would expect”.

According to NAN, it is José Eduardo dos Santos, President of Angola, who spent 17 days in Spain where he normally travels for medical treatment and holiday.

Dos Santos, 74, arrived in Luanda late Wednesday, accompanied by, Ana Paula dos Santos, the First Lady.

They were received at the Luanda military air base by Manuel Domingos Vicente, the Vice-President, and other top government officials.

The veteran leader has visited the European state several times since 2013.

He left Angola on July 3 for Barcelona, with his office saying in a statement that the visit was private.

Back in May, he spent 28 days in Spain without an official explanation, prompting claims from both the social and traditional media that he had died.

But Georges Chikoti, Foreign Affairs Minister, told journalists in Luanda on May 29: “He is in Spain and when he gets fine he will be back home,”

It was the first time a top government official confirmed that dos Santos usually went to Spain for medical treatment.

“President dos Santos normally seeks medical treatment in Spain and this is normal for him to be there,” Chikoti added..

“It is all right but you know it happens with everyone. Sometimes you don’t fill fine but he is fine.”

Dos Santos has been in power since in 1979 and is Africa’s second longest-serving president after Obiang’ Nguema of Equatorial Guinea.

The southern Africa state goes to the polls on August 23, with the long-serving leader set to retire.

The ruling party, MPLA, has nominated Defence Minister João Lourenço as its flag bearer for the contest.