Extending The Stay, Justifies The Speculation

President Buhari was supposed to have returned to the country, today, 6th of February, 2017 after having exhausted the 10 days medical leave for which he did communicate to the Senate. But barely some hours to his anticipated return, Nigerians have been inundated with news of the extension of the leave.

The purported receipt of the letter informing the Senate nay Nigerians of the extension did more than merely passing an information. It did more than elicit concerns; the surprise extension dropped pangs of fear and apprehension for what's been insinuations and what lies ahead, respectively.

When Mr President left for the UK on the 19th of January for his annual vacation, which was later known to be for medical reasons, his absence didn't just leave a vacuum but it became a credible avenue to insinuate and speculate and rather badly over the state of health and the possible death of Mr President.

News flown around, consistently for all the while expectant Nigerians looked for Mr President, in keeping the contents of his letter to resume on the 6th, to come back. The airwaves, especially the social media, never ceased to be buzzed with speculations about his death and about how sure and credible they and their sources were.

With hopes deflated and obvious emptiness reeling in, the minds of even those who had believed he would be back as suggested, are beginning to be open and receptive to the wide-flying readily available speculation, the blowing evil wind.

The presidency and/or the president have decided for whatever reasons not to handle these roaring concerns effectively. It's not longer to be taken as a joke as the speculations might have suggested, for the band of hope that had stood to wedge it has slacked; the expected time for his return has lapsed. It is therefore necessary that the presidency takes a tangible step that would ensure the speculation is whittled down and subsequently douse tension.

Even if circumstantially, as could be undeniably possible, the president couldn't have found it convenient to come back at this point in time as had been expected, what was wrong or difficult to have let Nigerians into the picture? Let nobody tell me that the information that he'd be running and expecting some tests and test-results, respectively, fits into this.

This is because that he needed to run some more tests does not stifle him from returning  even just to come home specifically to douse the tensions and immediately jet back to continue or simply arranging a press conference, even if virtually. And that is if things are not that critical to prevent him from making such steps, as we are meant to believe.

If the president is gravely ill as not to have any of the above done, that's understandable; no mortal is beyond sickness and death. But it is important and very rational that the right thing be done in keeping Nigerians in the know about the status of their head of state.

The presidency, therefore, must come out clear on this issue in order not to bring back the sense of that nostalgic episode of the Yar'adua period. For the rumours are becoming rife and disenchanting already. Extending the stay, seemingly jusifies the Speculation