Olusegun Obasanjo

Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has teamed up with other members of the Nigerian civil society to accuse President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua of dishonesty on his pre existing medical condition before being anointed for the leadership Africa’s most populous country.

Obasanjo short of regretting his “hand-picking” of President Yar’Adua for the esteemed political office while visiting the United States recently told a select group of Nigerians that Yar’Adua did not give him the true picture of his medical condition and its grave seriousness before accepted to succeed him in office.

The President has been diagnosed with Churg Strauss Syndrome, an inflammation of the blood vessel, a Kidney Problem and yet to be confirmed Pulmonary Fibrosis for which he has at various times visited Germany and Saudi Arabia for treatments.

The former President’s criticism is coming in the wake of a new direction from President Yar’Adua to make public future medical trips abroad, while he continues to receive close medical monitoring from a team of both German and Nigerian doctors who are ensuring that he makes full recovery from his ailments.

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But former House of Representatives Chairman on Information, Dr. Alaba Ojomo, representing Owo Federal Constituency told Pointblanknews.com that Yar’Adua’s health condition is not so critical to affect his ability to carry out his responsibilities and mandate as Nigeria’s president.

According to sources present at the meeting recently held with Obasanjo in the United States, concerned Nigerians had curiously asked him why he gave the baton of leadership to Yar’Adua who had been reported to have serious health issues, Obasanjo was said to have responded that he did not know that Yar’Adua’s condition was so serious and that he got the disturbing news on the President’s medical condition during the last trip to a Saudi Arabia-German Hospital.

Asked how serious the sickness of President Yar’dua is, Obasanjo was said to have been momentarily silent, shook his head and said, “It is serious.” Asked if the President can make it through his tenure, again, Obasanjo was said to have stared back at the inquirer and said, “You don’t want to know my views on that.”

President Yar’Adua was pilloried by members of the public over his repeated medical trips abroad without openness but has now taken the decision to openly announce to Nigerians subsequent medical trips abroad.

The new policy direction on Yar’Adua’s medical trips was said to have come as a result of the confusion generated by conflicting media reports on the President’s condition during a recent trip to Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. The last trip resulted in allegations of secrecy and deception against Yar’Adua and his lieutenants. It also set the administration on a collision course with the media.

In a chat with Pointblanknews.com, Hon. Ojomo who is also a medical practitioner said that the Government was committed to foisting a good relationship with the media and would always encourage access through the imminent Freedom of Information FOI Bill which he said would ultimately become an Act soon. He cautioned the media against sensationalism adding that President Yar’Adua’s medical condition is not so grave to warrant any call for his resignation.