The second term ambition of President Muhammadu Buhari may have run into troubled waters due to massive opposition and a health challenge that has become a recurring decimal in his three year sojourn as a democratic president of Nigeria. Currently, Buhari is in London for a “Working” medical checkup-if the Special Adviser to the President, Eta Enang is to be believed-after attending ward congresses in Daura, his home town. It was rumored that during his last visit to the United States, due to rigorous drilling by his handlers to prevent another presidential goof, his sick aged system could not take stress and there was alleged to be a system collapse. He was said to have been adversely affected, and they had to rush him back to London for treatment. Sources indicate that he was advised to stay back for proper treatment but he insisted on coming back for the party congress in Daura. This was said to have sparked outrage within his kitchen cabinet as some believed he is being over stretched and may not survive the rigors of Presidential campaign. But others, whose political survival depend on his re election are said to be adamant.
Buhari’s travel back to the United Kingdom has sparked controversies within the polity. While the Presidency insists that he does not need to transmit any letter to the National Assembly before going, critics are saying otherwise. Particularly critical of the trip is Kola Ologbondiyan, the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, spokesperson. “We have nothing against Mr. President’s decision to take care of his ailing health as we are all subject to human frailties, (but) Nigerians detest the deception, lies and beguiling that had trailed the handling of his unabating health issue.”, he said. “Moreover, it is unfortunate that President Buhari would always embark on medical tourism abroad when his administration has completely refused to address the poor state of the health sector in Nigeria, for which medical personnel are currently on strike across the nation.”
Resident doctors have been on strike due to poor conditions of service, which appears t be ignored by the presidency while Buhari jets out to take care of his own health. And despite enormous budgetary allocations, the Aso Rock clinic is bereft of basic medical equipment and drugs, raising questions on what the authorities have done with the allocations. It appears that nobody has even been queried raising doubts about the much touted anti corruption fight of the presidency.