The Presidential candidate of the All
Progressives Congress, Maj. General
Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), has
blatantly refuted widespread reports
that he is suffering from a terminal
illness.
Speaking to journalists yesterday,
Buhari said the report on his state of
health was orchestrated by some
individuals not only to gain undue
political advantage but to divert public
attention from corruption which had
assumed the front burner of national
discourse. He said:
"There were reports that I was to jet out
for medical check-up yesterday
(Saturday) but here I am. I was in
Nasarawa and Benue states yesterday
(Saturday) and tomorrow, I will be in
two states. The day after tomorrow
(Tuesday), I will be in two more states. I
sincerely don't know how they got the
impression that I was sick. I had a cold
but it did not stop me from going
through my schedule."
Buhari also stated that a medical
document purportedly confirming his
alleged poor state of health was fake.
The Ahmadu Bello University Teaching
Hospital said the documents are
forged. This desperation is beyond my
comprehension. The issue we are letting
Nigerians know is that there has been
much corruption in this country in the
last 16 years. The Peoples Democratic
Party has literally destroyed this
country."
When asked to make a categorical
statement on his health, Buhari jokingly
asked the reporter, "How old are you,
50 years? I can tell you that if we go to
the field, you will not stay as long as I
would."
However, the PDP replied, and said that
instead of denying the report, Buhari
should prove to Nigerians that he is
healthy enough to rule the country, by
jogging round a stadium.
At a news conference in Abuja by the
Director of Media and Publicity of its
Presidential Campaign Organisation
Femi Fani-Kayode, the ruling party said
the rumour that the former Head of
State was suffering from prostrate
cancer was worrisome.
It said:
"The rumour that he is suffering from
prostrate cancer is exceptionally
worrying and it is incumbent upon each
and everyone of us to pray for him if
this rumour is true.
We are constrained to urge him to
prove to the Nigerian people that he
really is as fit as a fiddle, as the
spokesman of his PCO has said, by
taking a brisk walk or even jogging
around the perimeter of the stadium
before any of his rallies. If he can do
that, it will go a long way to allay the
fears of many."
Asked if the PDP was in possession of
any medical report indicating that
Buhari was suffering from any terminal
ailment, Fani-Kayode said no.
