President Umaru Musa Yar�Adua will this morning continue his consultations with a team of doctors at the King Fahd Armed Forces Hospital, Saudi Arabia, to review results of the several tests he has had in the last few days, THISDAY has learnt.
Family sources told THISDAY last night that the outcome of the checks would now determine whether the President will return home immediately or stay back till the weekend to conclude his consultations. Alternatively, he may be asked to return at a later date for further examination should it be required.
�The President has concluded Umrah but he has an appointment with his doctors today to undergo some checks,� the family source said. �It is after the consultations that he can talk about coming home or awaiting further tests.�
The source added: �The President is very keen to return home in the light of the rumours making the rounds about his health. In fact, he was ready to fly in tomorrow (today) but the doctors said they had to hold consultations with him before he travels back to Nigeria.�
Being a first visitor to the hospital, the doctors are carrying out comprehensive tests on him to determine the status of his health.
There has been a huge controversy over the health of President Yar�Adua since he left the country for Saudi Arabia about two weeks ago.
While government officials insisted the President had gone to that country to perform the lesser hajj, media reports suggested that Yar�Adua had gone for medical treatment and even underwent a kidney transplant in a Saudi hospital � but THISDAY gathered that he had not undergone any surgery.
In a telephone chat with THISDAY on Sunday night, President Yar’Adua had said he was in the Holy Land and would start the Ramadan fast with the Saudis on Monday before returning to the country anytime from yesterday.
Meanwhile, as Nigerians continue to express worries over the management of the President�s health status, Lagos-based lawyer, Chief Gani Fawehinmi, who alleged that Yar’Adua is sick and unable to govern the country, has called for prayers for the President.
“He deserves the prayer of all Nigerians because he is our President and therefore I appeal to all Nigerians of all persuasions to pray for his survival and recovery,” Fawehinmi, who was recently released from a London hospital where he was receiving treatment for lung cancer said.
Yesterday was the 12th day the President had left the country for Saudi Arabia.
In a two-paragraph press statement entitled “The Health of The President: Pray for His Survival and Recovery,” Fawehinmi said: “For close to two weeks, the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Alhaji Umaru Musa Yar’Adua has not been governing the country, as it is now clear that he has been receiving medical treatment including surgery in Saudi Arabia for an undisclosed ailment. This is contrary to the official announcement that he went on lesser hajj pilgrimage.
“The fact is, Alhaji Umaru Musa Yar’Adua is sick and he is unable to govern the country because of his illness. Nevertheless, he deserves the prayers of all Nigerians because he is our President and therefore I appeal to all Nigerians of all religious persuasion to pray for his survival and recovery.”
Sep32008