Suffering from sickness, president must quit: Nigerian expats

The prolonged illness of Nigerian President Musa Yara’dua and his treatment at the King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Centre in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, has sparked off rumours about political uncertainty in the country and has become a matter of concern for people living in Nigeria and abroad.

The president has been diagnosed as suffering from acute Pericarditis (an inflammatory condition of the coverings of the heart).


The continued illness has also prompted many people to seek Yara’- dua’s resignation on grounds of ill health, while there are others who feel that he will be in good health soon and resume his duty.

Qatar Tribune’s Ikoli Victor talked to a number of Nigerians living in Qatar to find out what they think about their president’s health and its implications with regard to their country.

WALE ADU Qatari Diar staff I wish the president quick recovery, but it is sad that information regarding his health is being kept secret from the public.

I am also embarrassed to find that our leaders rush to foreign hospitals to seek medicare.

Does it mean that our national hospital in Abuja and other hospitals and health centres across the country are useless? I really worry for the Nigerians who do not have the money to afford costly treatment abroad.

I hope that he is fit to resume his duty soon.

GBENGA ALADESANMI Music teacher I wonder why did the president go abroad for treatment this time when a couple of years ago he had a liver transplant in Nigeria.

I do not know how serious is his illness.

I hope he gets well soon and serves his full term in office.

No one in this world knows the time, the place and when they are going to die.

I am patriotic and will pray for his quick recovery.

In fact, we should all pray for him and the country.

Yara’dua has done much for Nigeria in his short term in office, so I want him to be healthy fast.

DAVID OLARENWAJU Construction engineer Yes, the President is sick.

Who doesn’t fall sick? Please let’s rise above rumours and pray for his early recovery.

I wonder why Nigerians, especially those living abroad, find nothing good in their country and they keep complaining.

GODWIN AWINORON Qatar Airways staff The president’s ill health has dogged his administration right from the beginning.

A sick man cannot govern a country like Nigeria that has a number of problems.

I hope he is fine soon as that is in the best interests of the country.

OJ MILLAR Dohanaija president The call for nine-day prayers for the president’s recovery is a welcome development.

The nation will suffer more if he continues to remain sick.

He needs to get back to office and complete the seven-point agenda he has set for governance.

I wish the president quick recovery.

OLUSEGUN OLUWATOYINBO Nigerian tourist We are aware that our president is seriously sick.

We wish the president a speedy recovery and our best wishes are with him.

However, we are concerned about rumours that some people are against the Vice President Goodluck Jonathan taking over from the sick president.

Nigerians will not accept it.

BODE LAWOYIN IT specialist As Nigerians continue to wait for their president to recover, an online news site Saharareporters has said that doctors have insisted that he requires a prolonged stay in the hospital, at least till the end of January for proper medical care and therapy.

It is for Yar’adua to decide whether he wants to resign or stay in office.


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