PDP fires Presidency over secrecy surrounding President's health

President Muhammadu Buhari has travelled to the United Kingdom to see his doctor, but no one knows the ailment he is seeking treatment or medical advice for. 

When he first embarked on medical tourism in 2017 it was his ear and then again he travelled on May 7, 2017, just a year ago, without Nigerians knowing the ailment he received treatment for.

Again on Tuesday, after he left Nigeria for the UK, the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) raised concerns over the fact that Nigerians do not know the health situation of President Buhari. 

It says keeping the status of President Buhari’s health secret is neither in the interest of the President nor that of the nation at large.

The party’s National Publicity Secretary, Mr Kola Ologbondiyan, in Abuja at a press conference said it was unfortunate the presidency had chosen to shroud the issue in secrecy.

He claimed that “the President’s men appear to be more concerned about the next election, instead of the consequences of the health situation and the constitutional breaches".

“The PDP urges President Buhari to be well guided and take care of his health.”

Ologbondiyan said: “While PDP had nothing against President Buhari’s decision to take care of his health, Nigerians do not like the deception which has trailed the handling of his health issue.

“Even as we speak, Nigerians are not aware of the President’s health situation and the identity of the doctors and the hospital attending to him".

According to him, it is unfortunate that President Buhari will always embark on medical tourism abroad "when government has refused to address the poor state of the health sector in Nigeria".

The PDP spokesman, however, said Presidency’s confirmation of President Buhari’s latest journey to the UK for medical attention had confirmed the party’s position on his health.

"The admission, though belated and coming after intense public pressure, has put to rest speculations on the health status of the President……..’’.

“Nigerians will recall that shortly before the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) in April, the President, without transmitting a letter to the National Assembly as required by the Constitution, undertook a private visit to the UK, five clear days ahead of CHOGM.

“Nigerians were left in the dark for the period in spite of demands for the full disclosure by the PDP.

“Only last week, two days after his departure from the U.S. where he had gone for a state visit, Mr President’s whereabouts was unknown.

“When concerns began to mount on his whereabouts, the Presidency claimed he had a “technical stopover” in the UK, citing flight issues, only for revelations to emerge from the same Presidency, on Monday, that Mr. President was actually in the UK to see his doctors," Ologbondiyan added.