Nigeria’s president, not seen in public since going into hospital in Saudi Arabia for heart treatment in November, has told the BBC he is recovering.
In his first interview since then, by telephone, Umaru Yar’Adua said he hoped to make “tremendous progress” and return home to resume his duties.His long absence and speculation over his health has led to calls for him to hand over power to his vice-president.
The opposition plans a rally to demand details on the president’s health.
Doctors said in December that President Yar’Adua was suffering from acute pericarditis, an inflammation of the lining of the heart.He is also known to have kidney problems.