Buhari Reportedly Plans US Visit Over Health

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.