President Goodluck Jonathan has
confirmed that he had some health challenges in London, Jonathan thanked God
that he was now fit to resume work.
He also thanked Nigerians for their
show of love during his 56th birthday that was held on Wednesday and during the
period he was indisposed.
He said, “First, let me thank
and appreciate Nigerians for their show of love and concern. On
Wednesday, even though I was in London,I read how people congratulated me,
remembering my birthday that I don’t normally celebrate anyway. But people
know, so they normally congratulate me and I read it in the newspapers.
“I have to thank Nigerians,
especially on the issue of my health. I really had some health challenges. I
have to thank God again because of the concern shown by Nigerians and their
love.
“Thank God that I am very okay to
resume work, I believe from this night (Sunday).”
When asked whether the health
challenge was a serious one, Jonathan said, “The most important thing is that I
am back. You will expect that when you are holding a political office as the
President of a country, anything that affects you attracts a lot of attention.
That the President is sick is enough to cause apprehension.”It was also gathered that he has postponed his peace meeting with the seven aggrieved Peoples Democratic Party governors which was earlier scheduled for Sunday.
Jonathan, who arrived the
Presidential Wing of the Nnamdi Azikwe International Airport, Abuja from London
around 7pm attributed his action to jet lag and “health challenges.”
It was however gathered that
pressure from political hawks made the President, who was in
London for the 15th meeting of Nigeria’s
Honorary International Investors’ Council, to postpone the meeting.
It was learnt in Abuja that the hawks
within the PDP, who insisted that Jonathan should shelve the
meeting, also wanted the four
suspended leaders of the New
PDP- Prince Olagunsoye
Oyinlola, Alhaji Abubakar Kawu Baraje, Dr. Sam Jaja and Ambassador
Ibrahim Kazaure - expelled from the ruling party.
Sources said this
could happen on or before Friday this week.
A reliably PDP said on Sunday stated that
the need to have an enlarged secret caucus meeting with the President on the
modalities to be adopted before taking a final decision on
“Oyinlola and others ” was responsible for the President’s decision to
shelve the Sunday meeting.
Some of the rebel governors
were said to have arrived in Abuja before the postponement
was announced by Jonathan.
The President became indisposed
and had to be treated for severe abdominal pains while in London .
He had missed the
opening of the London meeting based on doctors’ advice that he should take some
days’ rest.
However, he gave an
indication to journalists on his arrival that the meeting with the
rebel governors might hold within the week.
The President said the peace moves
would continue since political discussion is a continuous process.
Jonathan said, “I don’t think I will
be able to hold any meeting.You know six hours’ flight is quite a distance and
also following from my health challenges; but we will meet.”
When asked specifically on the next
meeting date, the President said, “I don’t know. I am just coming in. I believe
within the week, we will be able to meet.
“Politics is about discussion. We
belong to the same political party. Even people from different political
parties engage in political discussion and you know political
discussion is a continous process. So we will continue to discuss.”
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Politics