A former governor of Edo State, Adams Oshiomhole, on Saturday took a swipe at critics of President Muhammadu Buhari over the controversy surrounding his vacation to the United Kingdom, where he was expected to undergo routine medical checkups.
But an online report had alleged that the President had fallen ill and died in a London hospital where he was receiving treatment, a claim which the Presidency dismissed.
However, Oshiomhole, who spoke to journalists at his hometown in Iyamho, Estako West Local Government Area, shortly after voting during the House of Representatives by-election for Etsako federal constituency, noted that the argument generate by Buhari’s vacation was unnecessary.
According to him, the President, as a citizen, was entitled to a period of rest and medical checkups, which he said was not out of place.
He explained, ”I think it is unnecessary. Let us be honest. As the governor of Edo State, we have had to sponsor, and the records are there, first, Nigerian medical doctors, who request for it in black and white that they had to be treated in India, the UK or US and they give me a variety of reasons why they need that foreign medical check.
“I have seen villagers approaching me that they had prostrate (cancer). They had gone to some local hospitals and they had challenges and they want support to go to India. I had used state funds to support very ordinary people and all kinds of people, including the media, politicians and farmers.
“I have had course to travel outside Nigeria for a comprehensive medical check, when I was in doubt. And the experience of Gani Fawehimi shows that if ordinary Nigerian labourers, medical doctors find course to go and do what we call routine physical check, why would anybody make it such a big issue that any Nigerian, including our president, should be denied the right for a thorough check.”
Oshiomhole stated that it was unfortunate that some Nigerians preferred to peddle negative speculation to the extreme, rather than wish the President well.
He, therefore, urged Nigerians to be cautious of their utterances.
