BY EDMOND ODOK – The Presidency has allayed fears about the health status of former Head of State General Abdulsalami Abubakar, who was hospitalised for an unknown ailment in London, the United Kingdom.
The retired Army General, whose hospital admission was kept secret by his family members and aides, was flown abroad for medical reasons, fuelling anxiety that he was critically ill
However, the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Malam Garba Shehu, made a public disclosure about the health status of the former head of state on Monday evening saying his condition was stable.
Garba further disclosed that General Abubakar is currently recuperating in a private apartment in the UK after being discharged from the hospital.
Shehu, who took his verified Facebook page, said he visited General Abdulsalami in London and that he was not in any serious condition any longer, hence there was no cause for alarm.
In a series of tweets @GarShehu that gave an update on the General’s health, Garba Shehu said; “There is no cause for alarm”.
According to the posts: “Alhamdu Lillahi for Allah’s mercy. I just ended a visit to His Excellency Abdulsalami Abubakar, former Head of State. He is out of the hospital in a London apartment and apparently in no serious condition.
“He was his jovial self, maintaining a keen interest in developments back at home in Nigeria. Please, no cause for alarm.”
The former head of state, whose 80th birthday on June 13, 2022, was low-keyed, has been out of the public glare in recent times. Due to ill-health, the former Head of State was unable to lead the National Peace Committee (NPC) to Ado-Ekiti for the signing of a peace pact by political parties and their candidates in the just-concluded gubernatorial election won by the All Progressives Congress (APC) flag bearer, Biodun Oyebanji
On that occasion, Abdulsalami, as the NPC Chairman, was however represented by the Catholic Bishop of Sokoto Diocese, Dr. Matthew Hassan Kukah with the candidates undertaking to be peaceful before, during, and after the election.
Following the death of General Sani Abacha on 8th June 1998, General Abdulsalami served as Nigeria’s Head of State between 1998 and May 1999 when he handed over power to President Olusegun Obasanjo.
