Concerns over Jonathan’s health •As illness stops him from London event

   

THERE was apprehension across the country, on Thursday, as reports of President Goodluck Jonathan’s ill health in London hit the airwaves.

Presidential spokesman, Dr Reuben Abati, had, on Thursday, announced the health challenge of President Jonathan which, he said, made it impossible for him to attend the official event that took him to London.

He, however, allayed fears, declaring that the reported illness was “nothing serious.”

The social media, including facebook and twitter, was awashed with concerns of Nigerians to the reported ill-health of the president.

Some of the comments posted by Nigerians online showed the concerns over the safety of the president in foreign hands.

Nigerians wanted to know how safe their president was, having taken ill outside the country.

Abati, however, in a statement he released on Thursday, said the president had been advised to rest for a few days, but it was not clear whether he would be resting in London, or return to the country at the weekend, as planned.

“In the course of his ongoing visit to London for a meeting of Nigeria’s Honorary International Investors’ Council, President Jonathan became indisposed and could not be present at the opening of the meeting today.

“President Jonathan has since been examined by competent medical practitioners. He has been advised to rest for a few days.

“The presidency wishes to assure all Nigerians that President Jonathan’s condition is nothing serious and that the medical attention he has sought is only precautionary,” the statement said.

President Jonathan, it will be recalled, left Abuja in the early hours of Wednesday for London, where he was scheduled to preside over a three-day meeting of the council.

Presidency had informed that issues on the agenda of the meeting included generating long-term affordable finance for Nigeria’s real sector, developing Nigeria’s private equity and venture capital sectors to attract more foreign investments as well as Nigeria’s information and communications technology master plan.

With the president on the trip were Delta State governor, Dr Emmanuel Uduaghan; Governor Kashim Shettima of Borno State; Coordinating Minister of the Economy and Minister of Finance, Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala; Minister of Industry, Trade and Investments, Dr Olusegun Aganga and the Governor of the Central Bank, Alhaji Lamido Sanusi.

Also on the entourage were Minister of Petroleum Resources, Mrs Diezani Allison-Madueke; Minister of Communications Technology, Mrs. Oobola Johnson, Minister of Power, Professor Chinedu Nebo; Minister of Special Duties, Alhaji Kabiru Turaki; Minister of State (Foreign Affairs), Professor Viola Onwuliri and heads of relevant government agencies.







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