According to reports, Atiku Abubakar, the Peoples Democratic Party’s (PDP) presidential candidate, is ill and has been transported from Dubai, United Arab Emirates, to London, United Kingdom, for treatment.
Atiku is renowned for residing in Dubai the majority of the time. For instance, he went for Dubai after Muhammadu Buhari was named the victor of the 2019 presidential election by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
Atiku was flown on Sunday night, less than two months before the scheduled February 25, 2023, presidential election, according to Sahara Reporters.
“Atiku is not feeling fine; he is in the hospital receiving treatment,” a PDP Presidential Campaign Council source told SaharaReporters on Sunday.
“That’s why he is not back in Nigeria for the presidential campaign. He was in Dubai but has now left Dubai for London for treatment. He has been flown to the UK for treatment. That is why he is still abroad.”
Earlier instances of Atiku’s deteriorating health
In response to a popular social media video that implied Atiku was ill in July 2022, Atiku responded that he was healthy.
In a widely shared video, Atiku could be seen hobbling after leaving Nigeria for the Osun State governorship election.
His media assistant, Ibe, refuted the allegations, stating that nothing could be further from the truth.
A statement issued by Ibe read in part: “Our attention has been drawn to a report and a video in a section of the media purporting to be of an “ailing” Atiku Abubakar being helped strapped to his car seatbelt by an aide.”
“Nothing can be further from the truth. For the records, the Presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) is in robust good health.”
“We would not ordinarily have responded to this mischief, but for the impression that it will create in the minds of Nigerians, which is exactly the objective of the purveyors of this fake news.
“We wish to state that Atiku is not averse to scrutiny because of the consequential nature of the 2023 elections. However, it is our position that such scrutiny must not be predicated on a slash and burn rogue journalism as is the case with this contrived report.”
Additionally in October 2022, the PDP Presidential Campaign Management Committee spokesperson, Dino Melaye, dispelled rumours about his principal’s health by releasing a video of Atiku dining in Europe.
During the 2023 presidential election campaign, Atiku had left Nigeria.
Earlier, Chief Femi Fani-Kayode, a former aviation minister, said in a Twitter that Atiku passed out after landing in Abuja from his rally in Kaduna State.
He claimed that after complaining of pain all over his body, Atiku was transported to Paris, France for medical treatment.
“After his outing in Kaduna yesterday @atiku fell ill. He complained of dizzy spells & severe pains in his head & all over his body throughout the flight to Abuja. After landing at Abuja airport he collapsed. He was flown to Paris for medical attention immediately. God be with him. For the purposes of damage control they took pictures of him with others the following morning from Paris but please do not be fooled.
“There is something very wrong with the PDP presidential candidate in terms of his health & they don’t want the Nigerian public to know. Pray for him,” he wrote.
But Melaye countered Fani-Kayode, saying, “See person wey dem say he de hospital. This place look like hospital? Him de here de chop him food, de relax, de enjoy himself, holding meetings and you say….mehn! God go help people wey.. stomach infrastructure na problem oo, hunger na problem oo, make God provide for our needs ok.”
The All Progressives Congress (APC) Presidential Campaign Council’s Director of New Media is Fani-Kayode.
