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By Oscar Okhifo
Former presidential spokesman, Femi Adesina, has revealed that ex-President Muhammadu Buhari may not have survived his health crisis during his time in office if he had depended on the Nigerian healthcare system.
In a startling admission, Adesina said: “If he had depended on Nigerian hospitals, perhaps he would have been long gone. That was why he stayed with the team that knew his medical history for over 40 years.”
Adesina, who served as Special Adviser on Media and Publicity during Buhari’s two terms in office, recounted how the former president became so ill in 2017 that he “didn’t even know where he was,” at some point.
Buhari’s medical condition saw him spend over 100 days abroad, mostly in the United Kingdom, where he had longstanding relationships with his doctors.
The statement has sparked renewed criticism of Nigeria’s healthcare system and the government officials reliance on foreign medical care, especially as the state-run Aso Rock Clinic, allocated billions of naira annually, was often reported to be poorly equipped and underperforming.
At some point, it was even President Buhari’s wife Aisha who raise the alarm over the clinic’s poor status of Aso Rock Clinic inspite of the mega bucks sucked in over the years.
Adesina’s comment has drawn fresh attention to the country’s ongoing health crisis, underscoring the disconnect between the ruling elite’s access to world-class medical facilities and the daily struggles of ordinary Nigerians who rely on overstretched and underfunded public hospitals.