According to reports, Atiku Abubakar, the People’s Democratic Party’s (PDP) presidential candidate, is ill and has been transported to London, England, for treatment, SaharaReporters said on Sunday.
The online newspaper says that Atiku was flown from Dubai, United Arab Emirates, to the UK.
This happens less than two months before the scheduled February 25, 2023, presidential election.
Atiku is in the hospital seeking treatment because he is not feeling well, a PDP Presidential Campaign Council source told SaharaReporters on Sunday.
“For that reason, he is not running for president in Nigeria.” He was in Dubai but has since travelled to London for medical attention. He was flown to the UK for medical attention. Because of this, he is still abroad.
SaharaReporters were unable to ascertain the nature of Atiku’s illness, though.
Atiku travelled to Europe the previous year as well, and after leaving Europe, the PDP presidential candidate went to Dubai.
Three weeks or so had passed since Atiku and Nyesom Wike, the governor of Rivers State, had a meeting in London.
The trip was a continuation of a previous work trip that was taken three weeks earlier, according to a statement released by Paul Ibe, his media adviser.
The PDP vice presidential candidate, Governor Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta, and the leadership of the Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria (PFN) met with him on Friday in Lagos, according to a release.
“Today’s trip is a follow-up to one I took for work three weeks ago.
The former vice president will take advantage of the opportunity to see his family in Dubai after his tour of Europe is through.
His vacation is for family and business reasons, not medical reasons, as some people have suggested.
Atiku is renowned for residing in Dubai the majority of the time. For instance, he went to Dubai after Muhammadu Buhari was named the winner of the 2019 presidential election by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
At the pre-Atiku Freedom March press conference for him that was organised at the state secretariat of the Nigerian Union of Journalists, Iyaganku, Ibadan, last Tuesday, the PDP presidential candidate was not there.
Former Federal Capital Territory (State) Minister Jumoke Akinjide, former Mines and Steel Development Minister Wole Oyelese, former State Deputy Governor Alhaji Hazeem Gbolarumi, and another PDP leader, Engineer Femi Babalola, all spoke at the news conference.
The state capital of Ibadan hosted the Freedom March on the previous Wednesday.
In July 2022, a popular social media video made it seem like Atiku was sick. Atiku replied that he was fine.
In a widely shared video, Atiku can be seen hobbling after leaving Nigeria for the Osun State governorship election.
Ibe, who works as his assistant in the media, denied the claims and said that they couldn’t be more wrong.
Ibe released the following statement, in part: “Our attention has been attracted to a report and a video in a section of the media claiming to show an “ailing” Atiku Abubakar being helped buckle his seatbelt by a helper.”
“Nothing is more false than this.” For the record, the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) presidential candidate is in excellent health.
“If it weren’t for the image it will give Nigerians, which is exactly what the purveyors of this fake news want, we would not have replied to this mischief.”
“We want to make it clear that despite the importance of the 2023 elections, Atiku is not opposed to examination.” But in our opinion, such criticism shouldn’t be based on slash-and-burn renegade journalism, as it is with this manufactured article.
Additionally, in October 2022, the PDP Presidential Campaign Management Committee spokesperson, Dino Melaye, dispelled rumours about his principal’s health by releasing a video of Atiku dining in Europe.
Atiku had left Nigeria during the presidential election campaign in 2023.
Earlier, Chief Femi Fani-Kayode, a former aviation minister, said in a Twitter post that Atiku passed out after landing in Abuja from his rally in Kaduna State.
He claimed that after complaining of pain all over his body, Atiku was transported to Paris, France, for medical treatment.
“@atiku became unwell following his trip to Kaduna yesterday. During the trip to Abuja, he complained of dizziness and excruciating pain in his head and throughout his body.He passed out at the airport in Abuja. He was promptly taken to Paris for medical treatment. The Lord be with him. The following morning from Paris, they shot images of him with others in an effort to contain the damage, but do not be duped.
“There is a serious health issue with the PDP presidential candidate, and they don’t want the Nigerian people to know about it.” He asked that you pray for him.
Melaye rebuffed Fani-Kayode, saying, “See guy dem claim he’s in the hospital.Does this place resemble a hospital? He’s here chopping food, enjoying himself, and holding meetings, and you respond, “Mehn!” God should intervene to alleviate people’s problems with hunger and stomach infrastructure.
Fani-Kayode is the All Progressives Congress (APC) Presidential Campaign Council’s Director of New Media.
(SAHARAREPORTERS)
