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Nigeria Cancels Cabinet Meeting Again After President's Return

Nigeria Cancels Cabinet Meeting Again After President's Return

(Bloomberg) -- Nigeria’s weekly cabinet meeting was canceled for the second time since President Muhammadu Buhari returned on August 19 from a prolonged medical leave in the U.K.

There was not enough time to prepare for Wednesday’s reunion because of a two-day public holiday on Sept. 1 and 4 to mark Eid celebrations, the ministry of information said Tuesday evening in an emailed statement.

Buhari traveled in May to London where he spent more than three months to treat an undisclosed illness. It was his second medical trip to the U.K. this year. He handed power to his deputy Yemi Osinbajo on both occasions.

The 74-year-old leader of Africa’s most populous nation attended last week’s cabinet meeting but the previous one, a few days after his return, was canceled. He has been working from home since he came back.

Buhari’s health issues have fueled concern about his ability to serve the remainder of his term that ends in 2019. Some Nigerian civic groups led protests in Abuja early this month, demanding that he either resumes his work, or resigned.

To contact the reporter on this story: Sophie Mongalvy in Lagos at smongalvy@bloomberg.net.

To contact the editors responsible for this story: Antony Sguazzin at asguazzin@bloomberg.net, Vivianne Rodrigues