Due to the widespread reports gathered yesterday about the first lady's health condition courtesy investigations made by the online portal, Saharareporters, a new twist emerged today as the Presidency, in its reaction on Monday, denied that Mrs Jonathan had been hospitalised for food poisoning.
Her spokesman, Ayo Osinlu, confirmed that she had travelled out of the country but denied the rumoured illness. Osinlu said the President’s wife travelled out of the country to take a “moment’s rest”. He, however, did not disclose Mrs Jonathan’s whereabouts.
“If you look at her itinerary in August, you would be wondering how she was able to accomplish that. In the course of this week, she will be back home. But remember, it all depends on her plans,” he said.
The Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Reuben Abati, who also spoke on the matter, dismissed Mrs Jonathan’s widely reported illness as a rumour.
Abati insisted that the story “was a rumour and there is nothing like that”.
In its report, Saharareporters had revealed that an air ambulance airlifted the President’s wife to Wisbanden in Germany for emergency medical attention. It added that Patience had been undergoing treatment for about four days.
The United States-based Nigerian news portal quoted an unnamed source in the Presidency as saying that Mrs. Jonathan travelled to Dubai after the African First Ladies Summit in Abuja.
It also quoted sources in the Presidency as saying that the “emergency airlift departed for Wiesbaden, Germany” but could not confirm if “her treatment was being undertaken in that city.”
A national newspaper on Monday had reported that Mrs. Jonathan was being treated at a hospital called Horst Schmidt Klinik in Wiesbaden, Germany.
Horst Schmidt Klinik is where the late President Umaru Yar’Adua was hospitalised for kidney-related ailments. However NigerianEye could not confirm on Monday if Mrs Jonathan was indeed in the hospital.
Meanwhile, an aide of the President, who pleaded anonymity, said on Monday that the President had ordered the first couple’s media aides to find a way to inform Nigerians about his wife’s trip and health.
It was learnt that Jonathan handed over the directive following the concerns raised over his wife’s alleged ailment.
He was said to have told his media team to liaise with his wife’s media team and agree on how to tell Nigerians what really transpired.
Following this directive, Abati and Osinlu met. Osinlu later told newsmen that they decided to speak on the issue “in order to save ourselves of the stress of responding to the widespread enquiries from our friends in the media one-by-one.”
He also said that the report that Patience was airlifted to a German hospital by an air ambulance was not true.
But he promised sending a statement which at the time of filing this report at 9pm, he had not sent.
9ja people. Anyway, we are used to aides and spokesmen not telling us the truth abt the state of health of Public servants; even when they are dead we are still told they are hale and hearthy. Mtchewwwwwww
ReplyDelete9ja people. Anyway, we are used to aides and spokesmen not telling us the truth abt the state of health of Public servants; even when they are dead we are still told they are hale and hearthy. Mtchewwwwwww
ReplyDeleteIt is increasingly becoming clearer that the dame might be really sick and hospitalised for why will it be a thing to hide where she is in the world and what reasons she might have of being there? What came to my mind is her case with the former first lady. Has juju practice begining to begin to prosper in the Aso rock? And the talk of food poisoning, who could be responsible? Turai can never get within 10 miles of the Aso rock without being noticed and reported. Oh God something funny is happening in the Nigerian presidential villa. I suspect and said that the former president could have being murdered but was laugh at. This surely doesn't look like natural illness for why the hide and seek?
ReplyDelete...Hope it is not the same hospital Stella Obasanjo went though,we dont need a de javu o...
ReplyDeleteZandra.
I talk am ystrdy. Who no knw say "one day Tortoise con dey" stories na lie? If an air ambulance left the country to Germany, can our spokesmen tell us who was in it? And y are they explaining and not daring the media to give proof of their claims that the First lady was in the ambulance? leaders of deception.
ReplyDeleteIt‘s better we are told the truth so as to know how to stand in the gap for her in prayers.. All the same,I wish her the best in Jesus name,Amen!
ReplyDeleteNa so them take they carry our money go abroad, why she nor rest for UNTH, LUTH, UNTH, and other ZZZTH wey dey our country, our doctors are competent to take care of her, can Obama's wife come to Africa for treatment? Build Presidential Hospital to meet the needs of our leaders. When death want to come, no slow motion or buying of time, what matter most is how you lived you life while you have Life. Nigerians pray for our first Lady, rumor or no rumor, there is always truth.
ReplyDeleteEvery Sunday, we pray for all our leaders in the church. If our leaders will hide the truth from us, how do we make supplication on their behalf to God? May she rest or get well quick.
ReplyDeleteThe Presidency should please note that accurate information is usually better than rumours. If our First lady is ill, a proper statement should be issued, so that rumours don't keep circulating! Its this , its that, if its not a serious condition why is she out of the country?
ReplyDeleteOur leaders should try and endear themselves to the people, she should use a Nigerian hospital! Or are all our hospitals bad?