As a doctor I can tell you Buhari is healthier than 80% of Nigerians –Ngige

Not up 20 per cent of Nigerian citizens are healthier than President Muhammadu Buhari, so says the Minister of Labour and Employment, Dr. Chris Ngige.

This is amid persistent concern among several Nigerians over the health status of President Buhari, who last year spent months in a United Kingdom hospital in London over an ailment that has remained a top secret between the President and his doctors.
Some Nigerians had even argued that his last trip to London on a 10 days vacation was to attend to his alleged failing health.

However, speaking with newsmen in Awka, Anambra State, Ngige claimed that President Buhari is healthier than 80 per cent of Nigerians.

Ngige, who stated this in response to fears being expressed by many Nigerians over Buhari’s age and health status, especially in respect to his decision to go for a second term of another four years in office as president, said that the age and health of Buhari was superb for governance.

He argued that when Malaysia was in trouble politically and economically, it took a 93-year-old, Dr Mahathir bin Mohamad, to lead it as a prime minister.

He said, “That man (Buhari) you see there is healthier than 80 per cent of Nigerians.

“I’m a medical doctor; I can tell you authoritatively that he is healthier than most people who see his health as an issue.

“He sits for over eight hours during our executive meetings. While some of us would be going for tea break to stretch our legs, Mr. President would sit on his seat continuously, drinking only water.

“I can tell you authoritatively as a medical doctor of over three decades standing that Mr. President is physically and mentally healthy. He is healthier than 80 per cent of Nigerians.”

The minister also reacted to the allegations that his Igbo people are being marginalised under Buhari’s administration. Though he refuted the claim, he however said that his people were the architect of their doom.

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While he called on them to shun primordial sentiments and expand their political horizons by thinking positively and reaching out, he added that the problem with the Igbo was that they were always self-effacing.

“There’s nothing that is being shared by the Buhari government that is not equitably done. Buhari has five flagship projects; Lagos-Ibadan to Ilorin Mambila Power Plants; Abuja-Kaduna-Kano Highway; Second Niger Bridge and East West roads.

“You can see how it was shared. So, how are you(Igbo) left out, why are you crying marginalisation, why are you crying wolf when there is none and it is this mentality that I’m telling you people that you have to come out from.

“So, all I’m saying in effect is that you (Igbo) must do political engineering; that’s the Igbo of the South-East and the step to take forward is to support a Buhari presidency for 2019/2023 and vote for it with all their strengths. By so doing, they will not be left out in the power-sharing that will come thereafter like was done at this period,” he said.

 

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