By Ahmad Yusuf
U13MM1107
Humans are all created by God and this is a believed at least by 95 percent of Nigerians. God also grants us the life and health to live and can also take the lives or make us fall sick at any time. But it seems different in the case of every Nigerian president especially the ones that are democratically elected. Because anytime a president falls sick it becomes public debate and topic of discussion, especially from the opposition party or people having different political ideology, ethnic group or religion with the president or his party.
In Nigeria, since 1998 when power was transferred from military to democratic government, Nigeria had three presidents with President Muhammadu Buhari (PMB) inclusive making four. But with the exclusion of former president Olusegun Obasanjo all the two former presidents and the current one experienced sickness at one time or the other while in office. As the result of this, Umaru Musa Yar’adua even died in office.
At different points in time while struggling with their illness, people from different angles were busy discussing about the situation. Some wishing them quick recovery, some were politicizing their health status negatively while others were criticizing their foreign medical trips. Is this kind of vituperation called for?
On June 6, 2016, president Buhari proceeded on a 10 day medical vacation to London on ear infection, as it’s a tradition in Nigerian politics, the main opposition party (PDP) alleged that the president was seriously ill and not just ear infection(read more). Similarly, government was also alleged of preventing the public on knowing the real health status of the president. This had its root from the role played by the Late Umaru Musa’s administration, which failed to disclose how critical the condition of the president was when he felt sick arguing that he is not an ordinary person and he is not a private citizen. A president is a public figure elected by citizens and as a public officer you cannot enjoy the maximum protection by the laws of privacy. For that reason therefore, everyone deserves to know whether the president is in good health or not.
However, on president Buhari’s sickness, the situation has somehow changed but still have some similarities with the case of the former president Late Umaru Musa Yar’adua, because up till now the real health status of the president has not been revealed. When people say Buhari has no obligation to inform Nigerians about his state of health, because his health issue is a private issue, and therefore, not open for public discussion, don’t you think they show total lack of knowledge of the difference between office holders and guarantee to public privacy? Perhaps they may think that way but let us get it clear that Buhari is not a private citizen. Therefore, the public are all entitled to know whether our president is in good health or incapacitated because of medical reasons. There is no reason for presidential assistant to lie about Buhari’s health because there is no alteration about the president health. The president is a human being like everybody and humans are liable to fall sick. When a president is ill, the nation must be informed without delay. Keeping the president’s medical condition secret is not a good way to protect the president or his interest. In any system of government there is no substitute for the truth.
Interestingly, this time around president Buhari refuse to repeat the mistake made by Late Umaru Musa Yar’adua’s administration who refused to allowed the vice president know or even visit the president when he was abroad on medical leave, refuse to transfer power to the vice president to act as acting president, and also refuse to disclose the real condition of the former president. But on his first medical leave, Buhari himself made it clear to the journalist about his ear infection and his vacation to London when he was at the airport. “I have already told Nigerians that I am going for 10 days to get my ear checked. Is there anybody that doesn’t fall sick?” Buhari said in an answer to a question by journalist who struggle to take parting photographs. After coming back from his second medical trip from UK, the president revealed how he had blood transfusion “I couldn’t when last I had blood transfusion”, and added: “blood transfusions, going to the laboratories and so on and forth.”(read more) that even when he was in the military; he hasn’t fall sick as that time. This is contrary to what happened during President Umaru Yar’adua, which this time the president was able to speak up himself. It is indeed a critical moment for Nigerians but we pray that history shouldn’t repeat itself.
U13MM1107
 |
| Presideng Muhammadu Buhari |
Humans are all created by God and this is a believed at least by 95 percent of Nigerians. God also grants us the life and health to live and can also take the lives or make us fall sick at any time. But it seems different in the case of every Nigerian president especially the ones that are democratically elected. Because anytime a president falls sick it becomes public debate and topic of discussion, especially from the opposition party or people having different political ideology, ethnic group or religion with the president or his party.
In Nigeria, since 1998 when power was transferred from military to democratic government, Nigeria had three presidents with President Muhammadu Buhari (PMB) inclusive making four. But with the exclusion of former president Olusegun Obasanjo all the two former presidents and the current one experienced sickness at one time or the other while in office. As the result of this, Umaru Musa Yar’adua even died in office.
At different points in time while struggling with their illness, people from different angles were busy discussing about the situation. Some wishing them quick recovery, some were politicizing their health status negatively while others were criticizing their foreign medical trips. Is this kind of vituperation called for?
On June 6, 2016, president Buhari proceeded on a 10 day medical vacation to London on ear infection, as it’s a tradition in Nigerian politics, the main opposition party (PDP) alleged that the president was seriously ill and not just ear infection(read more). Similarly, government was also alleged of preventing the public on knowing the real health status of the president. This had its root from the role played by the Late Umaru Musa’s administration, which failed to disclose how critical the condition of the president was when he felt sick arguing that he is not an ordinary person and he is not a private citizen. A president is a public figure elected by citizens and as a public officer you cannot enjoy the maximum protection by the laws of privacy. For that reason therefore, everyone deserves to know whether the president is in good health or not.
However, on president Buhari’s sickness, the situation has somehow changed but still have some similarities with the case of the former president Late Umaru Musa Yar’adua, because up till now the real health status of the president has not been revealed. When people say Buhari has no obligation to inform Nigerians about his state of health, because his health issue is a private issue, and therefore, not open for public discussion, don’t you think they show total lack of knowledge of the difference between office holders and guarantee to public privacy? Perhaps they may think that way but let us get it clear that Buhari is not a private citizen. Therefore, the public are all entitled to know whether our president is in good health or incapacitated because of medical reasons. There is no reason for presidential assistant to lie about Buhari’s health because there is no alteration about the president health. The president is a human being like everybody and humans are liable to fall sick. When a president is ill, the nation must be informed without delay. Keeping the president’s medical condition secret is not a good way to protect the president or his interest. In any system of government there is no substitute for the truth.
Interestingly, this time around president Buhari refuse to repeat the mistake made by Late Umaru Musa Yar’adua’s administration who refused to allowed the vice president know or even visit the president when he was abroad on medical leave, refuse to transfer power to the vice president to act as acting president, and also refuse to disclose the real condition of the former president. But on his first medical leave, Buhari himself made it clear to the journalist about his ear infection and his vacation to London when he was at the airport. “I have already told Nigerians that I am going for 10 days to get my ear checked. Is there anybody that doesn’t fall sick?” Buhari said in an answer to a question by journalist who struggle to take parting photographs. After coming back from his second medical trip from UK, the president revealed how he had blood transfusion “I couldn’t when last I had blood transfusion”, and added: “blood transfusions, going to the laboratories and so on and forth.”(read more) that even when he was in the military; he hasn’t fall sick as that time. This is contrary to what happened during President Umaru Yar’adua, which this time the president was able to speak up himself. It is indeed a critical moment for Nigerians but we pray that history shouldn’t repeat itself.
Comments
Post a Comment