Former President Olusegun Obasanjo nearly died  in 2005 of a  life-threatening diabetes complication that causes unconsciousness also known as diabetes coma, a United States government cable published by whistleblower, Wikileaks, quoted former Vice President Atiku Abubakar  as telling the then US Ambassador to Nigeria, John Campbell, in Abuja.

The cable, created in 2005 and sent to the US government, quoted Atiku extensively on his conversation with Campbell about the political horizon in the build up to 2007 general elections in which Atiku was a presidential aspirant.

The cable said the conversation took place in a separate room at a dinner organized by the ambassador on the night of June 18 in his residence in Abuja and that Atiku, who stayed only for three hours, was accompanied into the residence only by a businessman friend, Lawal Abas, two staff/security personnel.

Atiku said that the president’s health was not good and that, “He abuses his body.”

Atiku continued, “Through violent exercise, lack of sleep and incessant work and travel.”

“Don’t be surprised if he simply drops dead.”  Because Obasanjo will not delegate, insists on doing “everything,” he will work all night -- calling the Vice President at 2 am.

The president, Atiku continued, is diabetic. With this life style, Atiku said, the president has had periodic collapses – such as it happened two weeks ago. Rumours then swept the country that the president had died; in fact, Atiku said, he had suffered from a short-term “diabetic coma”.

Atiku, who described Obasanjo’s political behavior as “autocratic and erratic, said “The president has always been restless; he can’t stay in one place.”

He said, “The president does not know how to work with ministers and does not use well his enormous staff.  “He insists on doing everything himself.”

“The president travels incessantly, often without notice -- to his staff or to his hosts.”

Atiku told a story of Obasanjo giving another head of state two hours notice of his arrival -- delivered after he was already in the air.  Atiku said that the convention is that if the president is out of the country, the vice president must be in Abuja.  This means, complained Atiku, that it is hard for him to pursue his own travel agenda and thereby burnish his international reputation -- or to take vacations.

Atiku said that the president consistently behaves “unconstitutionally,” whether the focus is the party or the nation.

This behavior, Atiku continued, reflects the president’s background and experience as a military man rather than a politician.  The president, Atiku continued, lacks political skills and makes up for it by an authoritarian approach with a low threshold of frustration.

The cable also suggests that Obasanjo and Atiku fell out because of Obasanjo’s failure to fulfil his purported commitment to stepping aside in 2003, making way for the Atiku to run.

Atiku also told the US how Obasanjo planned to manipulate the constitution and political system so that he can remain in office beyond his term of eight years.

Atiku repeated that the president is not reconciled to leaving office in 2007 as provided for by the constitution.  However, he said that the Political Reform Conference (Confab), the National Assembly and the states are unlikely to make or allow any significant change in the constitution (other than minor adjustments to the Federal/state revenue sharing formula) before the elections.

He said, “The president would only be reconciled to leaving office by the end of this calendar year when he would see he had no other choice. Then, he would turn to deciding whom to support for 2007. Meanwhile, the president is seeking to manipulate the PDP party machinery, making “unconstitutional” changes in its leadership and generally acting in an autocratic manner

Source: http://www.dailytrust.dailytrust.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=27638:obasanjo-nearly-died-of-diabetes-in-2005&catid=2:lead-stories&Itemid=8

Wow! interesting


OBJ a workaholic?

Baba gave a lifetime of service to the nation. GOD bless and abide with him

^^

Smiling chimp.That some nigerians see animals like obj as role models is mind boggling.

and of what importance is this news to us in 2011

If he had died then,it would have somehow saved nigeria billions of dollars.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

Na so you hate Obj reach

I am not surprised, some years back my dad in his seventies marveled at the stallion called Obasanjo knowing fully well that Obasanjo is even older with his official age. He said after holding a meeting with them that lasted from 8am to about 11pm while they were struggling back to transcorp, baba Iyabo was on his way out of the country for France. The next day I saw him in the news in France, he was looking as bright as ever while my dad was resting the whole day.

wellmax:

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

Na so you hate Obj reach

If you mess with Shi.it that comes out of you your own body,it will kill you,talkess of another's

Shi.t is only good for manure,therefore obj will be more useful as organic particles beneath the soil.

Na wah o. Almost all Nigerian leaders have one health issue or the other, Who knows what GEJ's own is

kokoA:

Na wah o. Almost all Nigerian leaders have one health issue or the other,  Who knows what GEJ's own is

I think it should have something to do with Schizophrenia, that man has totally lost touch with the reality and unreality of this country.

blink182:

I think it should have something to do with Schizophrenia, that man has totally lost touch with the reality and unreality of the country.

This guy must be a doctor.

kokoA:

Na wah o. [size=28pt]Almost all Nigerian leaders have one health issue or the other[/size],  Who knows what GEJ's own is

Why wont they when we have old grandpapa's who can hardly control their bladder controlling a nation of millions?

blink182:

I am not surprised, some years back my dad in his seventies marveled at the stallion called Obasanjo knowing fully well that Obasanjo is even older with his official age. He said after holding a meeting with them that lasted from 8am to about 11pm while they were struggling back to transcorp, baba Iyabo was on his way out of the country for France. The next day I saw him in the news in France, he was looking as bright as ever while my dad was resting the whole day.

So your dad is a lazy man?

No wonder you spend so much time on NL.

Like father like offspring

mitofag:

So your dad is a lazy man?

No wonder you spend so much time on NL.

Like father like offspring

Take am easy nau. sho!

mitofag:

So your dad is a lazy man?

No wonder you spend so much time on NL.

Like father like offspring

LOL, the old man is on his way to 80 and still plays lawn tennis. I work online and probably earn more than you do.

Gbam!
would have saved us more than  $100billion Naira had he died in prison before 1999.
And we would still have our National Airline 

redsun:

If he had died then,it would have somehow saved nigeria billions of dollars.

blink182:

LOL, the old man is on his way to 80 and still plays lawn tennis. I work online and probably earn more than you do.

How many yahoo accounts do you have? Good job. I am sure your father is proud of you.

Lazy man gave birth to a proud yahoo-ist.

You don't embezzle billions of dollars without working hard.
Also, you stay out of the reach of EFCC years after retiring by working hard.

The incentive to work hard is very appealing.

that is to give you a little idea of how hard GEj is working day in day out. I am so inspired.

redsun:

If he had died then,it would have somehow saved nigeria billions of dollars.

God Almighty knows better, don't you think

I will like to know why these people(Our Government Officials) are always "sharing" intimate information with the U.S. Government.

OBJ, Nigeria's Longest serving president!

obasanjo his using EDMARK product , EDMARK can cure diabetes in 2 weeks ,i have live testimoney

I used to have a chimp that goes crazy whenever it catches sight of Obj on the telly,i still wonder why?

Its only in the politics section i've encountered uncultured foul mouthed low lifes on NL. Tribalist, bigots, cretins, emotion driven, nepotic haters, low self esteem sufferers, name it. I refuse to believe that is what the average Nigerian is and anonimity offered here gives a platform to express one's demented, socially, mentally and psychologically oppressed obnoxious true self. If not for the news and a few brilliant fellows, i'll never cross this path. Like Banky said ', it aint my fault, '

buzcenter:

obasanjo his using EDMARK product , EDMARK can cure diabetes in 2 weeks ,i have live testimoney

Cheap advert abi na PR stunt be that?

fuqua:

I will like to know why these people(Our Government Officials) are always "sharing" intimate information with the U.S. Government.

The thing tire me sef, they know so much about us. So sure the Americans can now tell when we are about to sneeze

I have a high respect for OBJ. The man is exceptionally blessed with good health.

[size=8pt][/size]

I was not amused because of what was credited to Atiku but the fact that I was able to predict rightly before I opened the thread that wikileak would be the source.

I now wonder why our leaders are always gripped by mouth diarrhoea whenever they are before these white men? And somebody thought Nigeria had a leader. I don't think so.

Dear Lord, u took my favourite dancer & singer away(Michael Jackson) U took my favourite rappers,(2pac, Biggie, Nate Dogg) Now u've taken my favourite actor(Andy Whitfield-SPARRACUS)Dear Lord, I would like 2 let u know that, OBJ,IBB,Atiku and , are my favourite politicians