Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari has asked parliament to extend his medical leave, deepening suspicions that his health is far worse than officials are publicly admitting.
The 74-year-old, who had been dogged by speculation about whether he was physically fit for office even before he took power in May 2015, had been due to return to Abuja on Sunday after taking more than two weeks’ leave for medical checks in the UK.
“President Muhammadu Buhari has written to the National Assembly today, February 5, 2017, informing of his desire to extend his leave in order to complete and receive the results of a series of tests recommended by his doctors,” his office said in a statement.
It did not say how much extra time Buhari was seeking off.
Buhari’s spokesman, Garba Shehu, told the Reuters news agency that the president was “not in any serious medical condition”.
He declined to give details of the medical checks.
Buhari, a former army general who headed a military regime in the 1980s, was last in London in June 2016 for treatment for what was said at the time to be a persistent inner ear infection.
His extended leave could further erode confidence in his administration, already under pressure from investors to let Nigeria’s currency float freely to try to revive an oil-driven economy now is at its weakest in 25 years.
As rumours swirled over Buhari’s health, some Nigerians took to social media demanding more details.
Buhari has finally acknowlwdged that he is sick and has extended his stay abroad indefinately. It is now clear that Nigeria is in trouble.
— Femi Fani-Kayode (@realFFK) February 5, 2017
What is scary now is the lack of transparency regarding the absence of @NGRPresident @MBuhari. Dear @FemAdesina what are you guys hiding?🇳🇬
— Káyọ̀dé Ògúndámisí 🇳🇬 (@ogundamisi) February 5, 2017
Nigerians deserve a better deal in leadership. We should begin to look for leaders in their 40's and early 50's and not men nearing grave!
— Jackson Ude (@jacksonpbn) February 6, 2017
Nigeria, which ranks 136 out of 168 countries in Transparency International’s Corruption Perception Index for 2016, has struggled for years to fight corruption among its political elite.
But since Buhari was elected to power in 2015 on a campaign that vowed to root out corruption, anti-fraud agencies have arrested several senior politicians accused of embezzlement.
Courtesy: ALJAZEERA
There’s something fishy here. Yes he wrote to National Assembly for an extension of his vacation but he wasn’t specific on how long. He owes everyone a very good explanation.
Comment:hmmm all we want is transparency, that is all God wil heal him.
I wish him recovery. Hope he comes back home real soon doh.
I wish him quick and blessed recovery. Hope he comes back to resign. That should be better for him.
Hmmmmmmmmmmmmm lies.
History repeated. Why won’t Nigeria remain on the lower part of the transparency food chain.
Uncle Buhari of all the hospitals in Naija you had to UK to take panadol. All I really want to know is with all the war on corruption why can’t our top elites receive treatment in the country.
If Buhari has become incapacitated, government should come out clean with Nigerians and plan a transition to a new leader
Buhari was brain dead even when he came to power- two years of non performance, Nigeria is better off without him
We should be lifting up Buhari in prayers, not wising that he has died..
If Buhari is dead- Nigerians deserve to know- all these hide and seek is not healthy for a battered country
Thanks for sharing photo and related subject on Pres.Buhari’s health. At 74 comes with many health issues like Erectile dysfunction, High Blood Pressure, prostate Cancer, colon Cancer, Liver cancer ,memory loss etc. Many Africans do not make Physical check-ups life priority to monitor health and by time sickness calls, no amount of treatment will arrest health decline till death end.
Pres.Buhari’s medical bill cost will be about $30-$50K a day, a very prohibitive cost to government treasury. And then ,he has to stay on “mind altering” medications going forward that would impact his decision making. Yes, Africans must elect youthful presidents due to the physical demands of office and traveling schedules. He must turn in resignation so that the Vice President can move governance forward.
Finally, the State of Nigeria must invest in the state of the art hospital.I mean, it is despicable and ridiculous to send a head of state to colonial mother country for medical treatment; where are all the Nigerian doctors and ANPA professionals to stand up for Nigeria’s medical technology? Pres. Buhari may not live long from this sickly photo I see; he suffers a form of internal ailment like liver or colon cancer; he will soon be wearing “depends” like a baby!*:) happy
Peace beloved,
VP