File photo shows Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari (C) meets with the released 21 Chibok school girls at the State House in Abuja, Nigeria, Oct. 19, 2016. (Xinhua/Olatunji Obasa)

ABUJA, July 26 (Xinhua) -- Ailing Nigerian leader Muhammadu Buhari has accepted his nomination by fellow continental leaders to lead the 2018 anti-corruption campaign of the African Union (AU), a presidency statement said on Tuesday.

The statement said Buhari acknowledged the nomination in a letter dated July 24 to Alpha Conde, his Guinean counterpart and current leader of the AU.

"While thanking you for the kind words and for the nomination, I wish to express my readiness to accept this new important role and to reiterate my commitment to contribute toward our collective efforts to strengthen good governance and development on the continent.

"I, therefore, look forward to working closely with you in the realization of this objective," Buhari, according to the statement made available to Xinhua, wrote in the letter.

The Nigerian leader, who has been on medical vacation in London since May 7, was nominated by fellow African leaders at the 29th Session of the Assembly of Heads of States and Governments of the AU in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia on July 4.

The theme for the 2018 annual summit of the AU is "Winning the Fight against Corruption: A Sustainable Path to Africa's Transformation."

In an earlier phone call to Conde, thanking him for organizing nationwide prayers in Guinea for his recovery on July 21, Buhari had told the Guinean president that he was making good progress health-wise, while also expressing hope he would return to duties as soon as his doctors advised him to do so.

Back home in Nigeria, Buhari's administration has demonstrated real commitment and achieved notable success in the fight against corruption.

In accepting the AU leaders' nomination, he is expected to introduce diplomatic initiatives to sensitize and raise awareness of the international community on the consequences of corruption and the strategies to defeat it.

Buhari is also expected to provide exemplary and resourceful leadership by working closely with the other African leaders, the AU Commission and development partners to collectively fashion out common programs for a continental application of the anti-corruption theme in all member states of the union.