
There is presently tension in the
polity, on the state of health of President Muhammadu Buhari, who is
currently in the United Kingdom, UK, on medical vacation.
Rumours have spread in several
directions and quarters, with accusing fingers being pointed at some
leaders of the All Progressives Congress, APC, as being behind the death
rumour.
Recall, that Buhari departed Abuja, last
week Thursday for London, after transmitting a letter to the leadership
of the National Assembly, seeking to proceed on a 10-day medical
vacation.
A competent Presidency source conversant
with protocol arrangements for the President’s stay in London,
disclosed that Buhari is in stable health condition, and was yet to be
examined by any Doctor.
The source confirmed that Buhari was
currently staying at the Nigerian House in London, and will later see
his Doctors before returning to the country.
“Mr. President on Wednesday, had lunch
with a delegation of Nigerians in the UK. He is hale and hearty,
contrary to the rumour making the rounds.
“Arrangements are being made for the President to grant an interview to the BBC,” the source added.
The Presidency also denied the
insinuation that the Acting President, Yemi Osinbajo, is under pressure
to resign, and that he is being held hostage by some forces.
Special Adviser to the President on
Political Affairs, Senator Femi Ojudu, on Wednesday, stated that there
was no truth in the allegation.
“I have read many ridiculous stories,
saying the Vice President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, is being held hostage by
some Governors, who are trying to compel him to resign. I have equally
received several calls regarding this.
“The story is simply not true. It is a
fabrication. Don’t be a purveyor of fake news. The Vice President is
behind his desk carrying out his task. The Federal Executive Council
presided over by him has just ended, and he has been busy receiving
visitors and holding meetings.”
Also, the Federal Government has urged
Nigerians to disregard the subversive messages being circulated via text
messages and the social media, on the health of Buhari.
The Minister of Information and Culture,
Lai Mohammed, in a statement on Wednesday, said there is no iota of
truth in the messages being circulated on the health of the President,
who is hale and hearty.
The Minister, denied the purported
emergency meetings of the State Governors in Abuja, or anywhere. He said
the naysayers have also resorted to the use of ethnicity and religion,
as tools to divide Nigerians, overheat the polity, and cause panic among
the citizenry, in addition to using fake news and disinformation to
distort government activities.
“The source(s) of the fabricated
messages are already being investigated, and the authors should prepare
to face the consequences of their actions.
“The emerging trend of resorting to
destabilisation and scare-mongering is not unexpected, considering this
government’s clamp-down on the corrupt elements in the society, the
plugging of all financial leaks, which has derailed the gravy train of
the looters of public treasury, and the enthronement of probity and
transparency in the polity.
“While we will neither stifle press
freedom, nor abridge the citizens’ right to express themselves freely,
whether through criticism or protests, the security agencies will
neither allow any resort to violence, nor a willful subversion of the
state for whatever reason,” Lai Mohammed said.
The Information Minister speaking further, described the comments credited to Ahmed Makarfi of the PDP, as a “silly thing.”
Speaking to State House Correspondents,
Lai Mohammed said Nigerians should discuss serious issues of national
interest, rather than dissipate energy on the heath condition of the
President.
Recall, that Makafi had told Journalists
recently in Kaduna, that some APC leaders, who were interested in
contesting certain positions in 2019, were behind the rumoured death of
the President.
Meanwhile, the Inspector General of
Police, IGP, Ibrahim Idris, has denied travelling to London for the
purpose of meeting with Buhari.
The IGP, in a statement on Wednesday,
explained that his official visit to the United Kingdom, at a time when
the President was also spending his vacation there, was only a
coincidence.
A statement by the Force Public
Relations Officer, Acting Commissioner Don Awunah, said the IGP was in
London on the invitation of SO15, the London Metropolitan Police
Service, contrary to reports in some section of the media, that he had
led a delegation to meet with the President.
“For the avoidance of doubt, the IGP did
not lead “a high powered delegation” to visit President Muhammadu
Buhari, who is on vacation in London. The visit of the IGP to London
while the President is on vacation, is merely coincidental.”
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