FEARS OVER YAR'ADUA'S HEALTH, MAY BE FLOWN ABROAD

Musa Yar'Adua

There are indications that the health of Nigeria's President, Umaru Yar'Adua, may have taken a dip in the last few days. The last four years has been a struggle for the president healthwise. Even as Governor of Katsina State, he was always in and out of hospitals at home and abroad for what is believed to be a kidney related ailment. When he emerged as presidential candidate, some members of his party kicked, arguing that Yar'Adua was not fit for the rigours of the office. Sources at the Presidential villa in Abuja confirmed to pointblanknews monday night that he could be flown abroad anytime this week for dialysis.

According to our source who confirmed the development on phone last night " the problem is not unrelated with his well known lingering kidney problem, and complications arising therefrom" According to the source, side effects of dialysis(treatment) for bad kidneys may be taking its toll on the Nigerian president.

Nevertheless, sources said that President Yar'Adua maybe flown abroad anytime this week depending on the recommendations of his personal physician.

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Unlike in the west, medical conditions of Nigeria leaders has always been top state secret. For example, former Military dictator, General Ibrahim Babangida was said to have had lingering medical problem with one of his legs which was later diagnosed to be radiculopathy in France. The Nigerian public was never given a complete picture of the true problem. Also, the late despot, General Sanni Abacha was said to have Liver Cirrhosis. The immediate past President, Olusegun Obasanjo often struggles with chest congestions and vocal track infection thus giving room for speculation about chronic cold or pneumonia. His public speeches usually get messed up with intermittent struggle to clear his throat.

President Yar'Adua in the thick of the campaign to become Obasanjo's successor shocked Nigerians home and abroad when he had to be evacuated with Julius Berger's air ambulance for treatment to a hospital in Wiesbaden near Frankfurt in Germany. That was the first time Nigerians had that he had kidney problem.

"I’m alive. I’m responding to treatment. I have a severe dose of catarrh which has made it difficult for me to breathe. It is caused by strenuous campaign across the country," Yar'Adua said while in Germany for treatment last year.

Efforts to speak with the President's Special Adviser on Communications, Mr Segun Adeniyi, was unsuccessful. He would not pick his calls, while a couple of text messages sent to him on the subject were ignored.