Diplomats say President Muhammadu Buhari routes official trips via London in order to see his doctor and avoid declaring medical leave all the time, Reuters reports.

The diplomats are unnamed, but they are thought to be from Western countries.

Buhari is currently in the UK for vacation during which, he said, he would undergo medicals for an undisclosed ailment.

He was scheduled to return to the country on February 5 – at the end of his 10-day vacation – but he extended the time indefinitely, citing advice from his doctor that he should wait to get his test results as the reason for his decision.

“Diplomats say Buhari has made several visits to Britain to see his doctor, routing official trips even to destinations as far afield as Asia via London so as not to have to declare medical leave all the time", the agency reported.

Shortly after the president left on January 19, the rumour mill was agog that he had died, but the presidency deployed some strategies like releasing pictures of Buhari receiving guests in London.

High profile politicians have visited the president in UK.

Some of them are Daisy Danjuma, a former senator; Ibikunle Amosun, Ogun state governor; Bisi Akande, former governor of Osun state; Bola Tinubu, national leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC); Senate President Bukola Saraki, and House Speaker Yakubu Dogara.

Buhari transferred power to Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo before he left for the UK.

The Cable