Nigeria’s President Goodluck Jonathan received unplanned medical treatment in London on Thursday after he “became indisposed” and was forced to miss a scheduled meeting, his spokesman said.
Dr. Goodluck Jonathan, who travelled to
London early Wednesday – his 56th birthday – to attend an investors’
forum, was on a bed rest all day on his doctors’ advice.
He missed the opening ceremony of
Nigeria’s Honorary International Investors’ Council (HIIC), his absence
raising eyebrows. But his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity Reuben
Abati announced the President’s indisposition in a terse statement,
which did not state the nature of the ailment, where he is being treated
or whether he was admitted in the hospital or simply resting in his
London abode.
The statement simply said: “In the
course of his on-going visit to London for a meeting of Nigeria’s
Honorary International Investors’ Council, President Goodluck Jonathan
became indisposed and could not be present at the opening of the meeting
today.
“President Jonathan has since been examined by competent medical practitioners. He has been advised to rest for a few days.
“The Presidency wishes to assure all
Nigerians that President Jonathan’s condition is nothing serious and
that the medical attention he has sought is only precautionary.”
Dr. Jonathan was absent at Wednesday’s
Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting, which coincided with his
birthday. He had travelled to London.
During the meeting, Vice President Namadi Sambo led the rain of tributes to mark the President’s birthday.
A huge card was sent to him by members of the FEC through the vice president.
Later in the night, a photograph of the
President with Sambo and other top government officials cutting the
birthday cake – apparently before his departure for London – was
released by the President’s media office
Rivers State Governor Rotimi Amaechi, on his twitter handle, wished the President well.
He twitted: “Our hearts and prayers are with President Goodluck Jonathan. Ouick recovery, Mr. President.”
This is the first time Dr. Jonathan has
been absent from official duty on account of illness since 2010 when he
came into office, first as acting president and as President after the
death of President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua in office on May 5, 2010.
The late President Yar ‘Adua suffered a protracted heart ailment and was treated in Germany and Saudi Arabia before his death.
Nigeria’s Honourary International
Investors’ Council is co-ordinated by former British Minister Baroness
Lynda Chalker. The meeting is meant to generate long-term affordable
finance for Nigeria’s real sector to facilitate the development of
Nigeria’s private equity and venture capital sectors and to attract more
foreign investments.
The meeting of the council is also to
feature a review of Nigeria’s existing investment policies by the
Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development, the Paris-based
international organisation dedicated to the promotion of policies that
will improve the economic and social well-being of people around the
world.
Members of the council include the CEO
of the Investment Corporation of Dubai, Mr. Mohammed al Shaibani, a
former South African Minister of Public Enterprises, Mr. Alec Erwin, the
Vice President of Hewlett-Packard’s Enterprise Group in Europe,
Middle-East and Africa, Mr. Olivier Suinat, a former Prime Minister of
Pakistan, Mr. Shaukat Aziz and the Director of Shell’s International
Upstream Business, Mr. Andrew Brown.
President Jonathan was accompanied by
Delta State Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan, Borno State Governor Kashim
Shettima, Senator Emmanuel Paulker, Senator Nenadi Usman, Hon. Sylvester
Ogbaga, Hon. Isiaka Bawa and the Co-ordinating Minister of the Economy
and Minister of Finance, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala.
Also on the trip are the Minister of
Industry, Trade and Investments, Dr. Olusegun Aganga, Central Bank of
Nigeria Governor Sanusi Lamido Sanusi, Minister of Petroleum Resources
Diezani Allison-Madueke and Minister of Communications Technology Mrs.
Omobola Johnson.
The Minister of Power, Prof. Chinedu
Nebo, the Minister of Special Duties, Alhaji Kabiru Turaki, the Minister
of State I (Foreign Affairs), Prof. Viola Onwuliri and heads of
relevant government agencies were also on the trip, according to a
statement from the Presidency.
The delegation is expected back in Abuja at the weekend.
Jonathan, who turned 56 on Wednesday, is not publicly known to be suffering from any serious medical conditions.
He assumed the presidency in 2010 following the death of his predecessor Musa Yar’Adua.
Yar’Adua’s protracted illness, details of which were kept from the public, sparked a months-long political crisis in Africa’s most populous country
No comments:
Post a Comment