For the first time since he left the country to attend to his health in Saudi Arabia for over 50 days ago, President Umaru Musa Yar’adua finally spoke saying that he doesn’t know when he will return to Nigeria .

The president in an interview with the Hausa Service of the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) on Monday in the evening said his condition is improving, adding however that he is not in a position to know when he will return to home to his duty post.

The rumour mill had been awash with all forms of speculations about the true state of the president following the inability of those in authority to brief Nigerians about Yar’adua’s condition.

There were wild speculations on Monday by some people that the president was dead. Some were also speculations that the president was in a coma. A newspaper had also claimed that the president’s brain has been damage and cannot speak or recognize anything.

President Yar’adua, in the BBC interview monitored in Kaduna said he was responding to treatment and thank Nigerians for praying for him and for the nation.

Said the president: “My brothers in Nigeria , I want to inform you that I am getting better insha-Allahu. By the grace of God, any time my doctors discharge me, I will come back home to Nigeria to continue my work. I want to also thank all Nigerians for their prayers for me and for the nation

"I want to wish our team, the Super Eagles victory in the African Cup of Nation that is going on in Angola . Thank you”.

The president who was interviewed on phone was apparently speaking with great efforts and pain. In the interview which lasted for about 86 seconds, Yar’Adua disclosed that he has been in touch with his Vice, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan and that everything regarding the governance of the country is going on well as expected.

He however could not say when he will return to Nigeria , saying that anytime he recovers fully and is strong, he will come home back.

The brief interview run thus-- BBC: Your Excellency do you know when you will go back home, because Nigerians are worried about your condition. Do you know how long it will take you to go back home to continue with your work?

Yar’Adua: Insha-Allahu I am getting better. Anytime God heals me and I am strong, that is the time, insha-Allahu, I will come back to Nigeria , anytime the doctors discharged me.

BBC: There are a lot of issues (in Nigeria ), have you spoken with the Vice president and is everything going on well as you expect?

Yar’Adua: I spoke with him; I have been speaking with him. Everything is going on well in accordance with the constitution of the country.

ENDS