Buhari Plans US Visit Over Health

(Photo: Buhari on his way to Jos on Saturday)

Indications have emerged that the presidential candidate of the All
Progressives Congress (APC), Gen. Muhammadu Buhari plans to travel to
the United States of American towards the end of January, raising
concerns over his health status.

Vanguard learnt that Buhari had reportedly filled an online
application for US Visa, to enable him travel for medical scrutiny on
a date believed to be January 26.

Following the application, speculations became rife that Buhari was
suffering from stress resulting from the campaigns which he had been
undertaking in recent days.

Buhari had since the first speculation about his health status
emerged, dismissed the claims over his health as mere fabrication of
lies by those afraid of his rising popularity among Nigerian voters.

He had again insisted he was in good health. Speaking through his
Campaign Director of Media and Publicity, Mallam Garba Shehu, the
former head of state asked Nigerians not to be distracted by the
antics of desperate and unpopular candidates who were afraid of losing
in a free and fair contest.

Shehu dismissed as a figment of the imagination of "wicked and evil
persons," the rumour that Buhari may be travelling to the United
States towards the end of this month for medical check up. He however
said that "as a prominent leader of the opposition, many interests
across the globe want him (GMB) over for political and diplomatic
consultations," adding that the "invitation to the US may not be
unconnected to this."

Shehu also dismissed as fake and untenable a purported medical report
from the Ahmadu Bello University Teaching Hospital showing that Buhari
had been diagnosed of prostate cancer by the institution.

"It (report of cancer) is untrue and condescending of its exponents. I
have it on good authority that GMB has not visited the Ahmadu Bello
University Teaching Hospital in the last five years. So, how can
anyone say that he was diagnosed with prostate cancer last October,
barely three months ago?.

"This is the highest point of political distraction, malice and
mischief. The report was not only fake but unfounded. I have spoken to
impeccable sources at ABUTH all of whom deny the report and also
claimed that the letterhead used was not their regular one, and that
Dr. Bala Mohammed that purportedly approved the false medical report
is not on the personnel list of that department." Besides, Shehu said
sources at ABUTH disclosed that "medical report analysis only come
from laboratory technologists and not medical doctors as handwritten
in this particular case", stressing that Buhari did not attend the
hospital for cancer or any other ailment.

He restated its statement of Friday that Buhari is as fit as a fiddle.

"The Ahmadu Bello University Teaching Hospital (ABUTH) has discredited
the purported report said to have emanated from the hospital to the
effect that General Muhammadu Buhari is stricken with cancer," the APC
Presidential Campaign Organisation said.

The APC presidential candidate was in Jos, Plateau State, yesterday,
as he continued his electioneering campaign.
--Vanguard