Special Adviser on Media and Publicity to President Muhammadu Buhari, Femi Adesina has said the President cannot be arm twisted into revealing his health status to Nigerians.
Adesina was quoted by a Nigerian newspaper, TRIBUNE, in reaction to a question on the possibility that Nigerians will be told the health status of Mr. President.
He said it is only the President that can make such disclosure, recalling that when Buhari came back from London on March 10, he made it clear that he had never been that sick in his life. Adesina said that was a declaration of his health status.
He said it is within the prerogative of the President do that, stressing that nobody can do that for him including doctors treating him. Adesina said under the Hippocratic Oath, no one can do that except the patient. He said it is only the President that can say what is exactly wrong with him.
“Don’t forget that in June last year, he went abroad to treat an ear problem. That ear problem had first been treated here in Nigeria and then, when he was going on vacation, he used that opportunity to also consult specialists in London.
“When he came back, he told the country that this was what was wrong with him. So, the prerogative is his own to disclose and if he wants to disclose, he will. But nobody should be asking him to do it. That would be an infringement on his right.” Adesina said