Nigerians demand information on President Buhari’s health status

Fifty-seven days after Nigeria’s President, Muhammadu Buhari left the shores of the country for medical treatment in the United Kingdom, some Nigerians have called for adequate briefing of the public on the state of health of the President.
In fact, they argue that recent developments occasioned by allegation by Mr Ayodele Fayose, Governor of Ekiti State that the President has been on live support has further reinforced their demand for the nature and true state of his health.
Although they acknowledge the capability of the Acting President Yemi Osinbajo in steering the ship of the nation, they further argue that the emerging confusion in the information flow is suggestive of government hiding some information from the citizens.
Speaking to Sunday Independent on the issue, Victor Burubu, Publicity Secretary, Ijaw National Congress (INC), said: “The state of President Muhammadu Buhari’s health should not be treated as a state secret. In a country like Nigeria where political tension is rife, it is necessary for government to properly manage information on the President’s health, to minimise the risk of dangerous rumours being peddled as truth.
“I don’t think it is out of place for Nigerians to be regularly briefed on the status of their leader’s health. Just the basics such as nature of illness and updates on how he is coming along will reassure Nigerians.
The total black out currently adopted gives room for mischief-makers to go to town while genuinely interested patriots are left in uncertainty.
Buhari’s health status should be released within the demands of National security and the sanctity of his privacy.”
He called on the Presidency to brief the public from time to time on the President’s health, saying Nigerians are sympathetic to the condition of President Buhari and would want to see him back on his feet, to continue his job for which he is elected.
Human rights activist, Monday Ubani said: “Nigerians should be updated on President Muhammadu Buhari’s state of health. He has been traveling outside the country for medical treatments, he has been going to London for medical checkups, but we don’t know his state of health. Well, he spoke to us in Hausa Language, which shows he is still fine; hence, we need to be updated on our President’s health status.”
According to Hon. Dennis Adikwuru, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) stalwart in Imo State, the issue of the president’s state of health is of paramount and utmost importance to Nigeria and Nigerians.
This is because, according to Adikwuru, “Buhari is the President and Commander-in-Chief of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. The state of his health affects the health of the country. He is the Chief Captain of the ship of Nigeria. When the head aches, every other part of the body falls prey to ill health. No part of the body should wish the head to ache.”
According to him, although no reasonable and patriotic Nigerian would wish the president an incapacitated state of health, the citizens deserve the right to know his health status.
“However, nobody should force governance on a critically ailing president. The Constitution is clear and President Buhari is not the first president to fall sick while in office. Talking about the presidency to address the nation in the state of health of the president is expecting the impossible. That is also exposing the Acting President to danger. Today’s presidency is headed by Prof Yemi Osibanjo, who is capable to address such a sensitive issue,” he said.
He advised that rather, “it should be the responsibility of the National Assembly to cause a delegation to the President in his London hospital and receive an official and professional report on the state of the president’s health. If the report shows incapacitation, the Constitution should be invoked. There is no point to procrastinate; neither should anyone rejoice at the misfortune of someone. But, Nigeria cannot continue to be incapacitated.”
Prof. John Ebhomien, All Progressives Congress (APC) chieftain in Lagos also believes that “It is the right of Nigerians to know the state of health of President Muhammadu Buhari. The Presidency should open up to Nigerians on what is wrong with him. He is no longer a private citizen. He is our president. We have the right to know. It is a proper thing to do.
President Buhari’s heath should be of great concern to all Nigerians. The news flying around is worrisome. Those handling information in the Presidency are not doing him any good. During his past medical trip, there were several negative reports.
The Presidency should put in place proper information management about President Buhari’s health to check current display of gangsterism as regard the president’s health. In conclusion, I wish President Buhari well. My prayer is for the divine hands and healing power of God to be on his head and make him fit and proper to continue his good work. It is well.”
Fayose, at a press conference last week alleged that the President has been on live support since June 6 at a West-End Hospital in London.
He claimed that from available facts known to him, President Buhari has been critically ill saying also that he has voice impairment, and therefore, could not have spoken in Hausa to Nigerians on Eid-el-Fitri day as claimed by the Presidency.
According to him, “Like every other Nigerian, I do not wish the president dead, I have therefore maintained dignified silence since we were told that the President embarked on his second medical trip abroad this year. However, the recorded audio message which was released by the Presidency as the President’s Ramadan message to Nigerians necessitated my setting the records straight today.”
However, Governors elected on the platform of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) at the weekend warned Fayose, against playing politics with President Muhammadu Buhari’s health.
Chairman of the Progressive Governors Forum, Rochas Okorocha of Imo State, described Fayose’s assertion that Buhari was on life support in London as a cheap and hate statement capable of heating up the polity.
Okorocha asked Nigerians to disregard Fayose’s statement which he described as baseless, saying the Ekiti governor was fond of creating confusion.
According to Okorocha, there was neither vacuum nor cause for alarm as Acting President Yemi Osinbajo had stabilised Nigeria, hence the need for Nigerians to support him, “as we’re hoping that very soon, Mr. President will come back and join us.”
He said: “I want to advise that Fayose’s statement should not be regarded, it is baseless and there is no substance in that information. What he said is not right, it is uncalled for and that is simply heating up the polity. In our culture and traditions, we do not play politics with people’s lives and anybody can be sick, anybody can be in the hospital.”
On the allegations that Buhari was being treated with tax payers money and the call for the disclosure of his health status, Okorocha said: “If there is an announcer that President Buhari today lacks money to treat himself abroad, believe me, more than 20 million Nigerians will contribute for his health. So, this is neither here nor there. You must understand what he represents and who he is,” he said.
Sunday INDEPENDENT