Buhari stays on in London to visit his dentists after attending the coronation of King Charles

PRESIDENT Muhammadu Buhari has extended his stay in the UK following the recent coronation of King Charles III to enable him visit his dentists who have apparently begun a medical procedure on him.

Last Saturday, President Buhari was one of the 2,000 dignitaries who were in Westminster Abbey to witness the coronation of King Charles. He was invited along with numerous other world leaders but after the ceremony, President Buhari has not returned home like his colleagues as he was in desperate need of teeth treatment.

In a terse statement on Femi Adesina, the president's spokesman, said that the medical treatment came at the behest of President Buhari's dentist, who has started attending to him. He added: “The specialist must see the president in another five days for a procedure already commenced.”

In June 2016, President Buhari came under fire for visiting the UK for 10 days to treat an ear infection, as happened on October 31 2022 when he jetted to London for what was described as a routine medical check-up. His medical holidays have caused a lot of controversy in Nigeria as he keeps flying out for treatment despite the country’s budgetary allocation for the State House clinic.

Last year, N10.6bn ($23m) was spent on the presidential wing of the State House Clinic at the Aso Rock presidential villa, according to Tijanni Umar, the permanent secretary in State House. President Buhari is due to leave office on May 29 but his eight years have been dogged by  constant medical trips abroad at the expense of Nigeria.