Patience Jonathan arrives, says ‘I’m happy to be back’

Nigeria’s First Lady, Dame Patience Jonathan Wednesday afternoon returned to Nigeria from Germany where she was hospitalized for several weeks for an undisclosed ailment.

Dame Jonathan arrived at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, on a presidential jet at about 4 pm. She was received by some top government functionaries, wives of governors, some Peoples Democratic Party chieftains and other well-wishers.

Mrs Jonathan acknowledging cheers from well-wishers on arrival

The First Lady, who was clad in a native attire, said she was hale and hearty and was happy to be back to join her husband in working for the Nigerian people. “I am very happy to see my dear people, children and the people of Nigeria,” she said on arrival.”

There have been various accounts of what took the first lady out of the country but the Presidency has kept mum over the nature of the ailment that warranted the foreign trip.

While some of her aides insisted that she went for a befitting rest, others claimed ignorant of the trip.

Mrs Jonathan in a warm embrace with her husband after her arrival from Germany

But after many weeks of trying to conceal the outing, the President was shown on the NTA network as having gone to visit the wife in a certain location in Germany.

The Spokesman for the President, Reuben Abati said after the ‘visit’ that the pictures had put to rest, the ‘lies being peddled about the First Lady but did not say what the truth about her was.

The initial report in the media was that she was being treated for food poisoning while others said she underwent an undisclosed operation.

Vanguard