CONTROVERSY OVER BUHARI’S HEALTH

• He’s as fit as fiddle – APC
The health status of the presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress, APC, General Muhammadu Buhari, is now a subject of controversy between the APC, some pressure groups in the country and some political leaders.
More than two weeks ago the founder of Oodua Peoples’ Congress, OPC and national chairman of the Unity Party of Nigeria, UPN, Dr Frederick Fasheun was one of the prominent Nigerians that raised the alarm over Buhari’s health status when he called on the presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress to present himself for medical assessment and declare his true health status.
During a press conference held in Lagos, he said Buhari owes the country a duty to declare his true health status to put paid to the speculation that he suffers a terminal illness.
He said: “We challenge Buhari to declare the true state of his health. What ailment is he nursing in his vitalorgans? To prevent history repeating itself, to the frustration of his zone and his kinsmen
“Nigerians should ask this General to subject himself to an independent medical assessment,” Fasheun said.
The anxiety about the fitness of Buhari was heightened when he fell during his campaign in Calabar and had to be assisted by his aides to regain his balance.
Following the report of the near mishap in Calabar, Buhari’s handlers said he did not slump but rather had an accident of the wardrobe as he stepped on the wrapper he wore to the campaign rally.
Not satisfied with the APC explanation, the Ekiti State governor, Ayo Fayose told Nigerians to beware of the scheming of former President Olusegun Obasanjo who imposed late President Umaru Yar’Adua on the country despite the fact that he was aware that Yar’Adua was terminally ill.
The demise of Yar’Adua after about two years in office saw the presidency returning to the south.
In a statement made available to journalists in Ado-Ekiti on Thursday, the governor said Obasanjo should also be watched for his liaison with some APC leaders despite claiming to be a leader of the PDP.
He also said Obasanjo wants Buhari because he knows his age and pressure of office will be too much for him.
”Nigerians should be wary of Obasanjo’s banana peel. He was the one who put forward Umar Yar ‘Adua as the president knowing the man’s state of health and the man died in office. He was the one who said President Goodluck Jonathan was the best for Nigeria and that without him there would be no Nigeria.
“Obasanjo is now presenting General Muhammadu Buhari as the best candidate for Nigeria knowing the man’s age and that the pressure of office would be too much for him.
“In the North, there are so many qualified, brilliant and credible people who can rule the country well. Why is Obasanjo going after an old horse that may collapse mid way?
“Nigerians should know the state of health of Buhari. His age and health cannot stand the rigours of the office. Nigerians deserve to know the health status of Buhari.
“The strange love between Obasanjo and Tinubu is like a lion and a goat living together in the same house”, he stated.
However, the APC yesterday again dispelled insinuations that Buhari is having health challenges and stressed that he “is fit as a fiddle.”
The APC Presidential Campaign Organisation appealed to Nigerians to ignore the “utterly silly and reckless statement” credited to the Governor of Ekiti State, Ayodele Fayose to the effect that General Muhammadu Buhari does not enjoy good health.
In a statement issued in Abuja, the Campaign Organisation dismissed as “unsolicited, reckless and silly” the allegation that former President Obasanjo was planning an imposition of General Buhari on Nigeria as he allegedly did the late President Yar’Adua while ignoring their health conditions.
“GMB is fit as a fiddle,” said Garba Shehu, the Spokesman of the organisation.
“He has no known ailment and is in excellent condition to pilot the affairs of the country.”
The statement added that Buhari is “almost a health freak,” who exercises regularly and undergoes medical examinations at regular intervals.
“On each occasion, the outcomes of those medicals have been favourable. The recent medicals he did gave him a clean bill of health,” Garba said.
Garba joked that “GMB is not given to curses otherwise he would have done as the late President Nnamdi Azikiwe did when a similar mischief played out over his health. Zik swore that whoever did this to him will expire before him, and they all did.”
Source: Nigerian Pilot