April 14, 2008
Saharareporters, New York
New details about President Umaru Yar’adua’s health have emerged, pointing to a carefully-managed power struggle in the Presidency at Abuja.
Saharareporters gather that after suffering swellings all over his body over the weekend of Saturday April 12 2008, Yar’Adua was flown out to Germany yesterday night after he barely managed to perform a widely publicized budget signing ceremony from his private residence in the presence of Goodluck Jonathan and a few officials. Only the State House camera crew were allowed to cover the event.
But prior to his departure from Nigeria, according to Aso Rock sources, the president handed over to the National Security Adviser, Major General Sarki Mukhtar (Rtd), the all time powerful Chief of Staff, General Abdullahi Mohammed (rtd) and the Secretary to the Federal Government, Alhaji Baba Gana Kingibe, thus bypassing the official number two man, Goodluck Jonathan.
Saharareporters had reported sometime back that Mr. Jonathan is nothing more than a “social prefect” in Aso Rock, his main duties having been mostly tailored to appearing at social functions to represent his principal.
Also there have been speculations that the core Muslim Northern power bloc is not well-disposed to Jonathan taking over as president, in case Yar’adua becomes incapacitated and unable to carry out official duties. A document in limited circulation, sighted by Saharareporters, is explicit about the possible course of action should Yar’adua die of his current ailment: Mr. Jonathan is expected to resign as Vice-President or he will be forced to do so.
Though Presidency sources downplayed the latest health crisis as some “allergic reaction”, knowledgeable medical sources claim that Yar’adua’s current condition can only be managed for some time, but cannot be cured. It is gathered that his German doctors have communicated this to him since last year.
Yar’adua's medical condition degenerated a long time ago because he was misdiagnosed and treated for Asthma for a long time. His physician in Nigeria continued treating Yar’adua for Asthma with steroids leading to further damage to his health and associated mood changes.
His real ailment, Saharareporters was told, is known as "Churg-Strauss Syndrome", a disorder, according to medical journals, "that causes inflammation in blood vessels (vasculitis), which restricts blood flow to various organs. " . The disorder is believed to have damaged Yar'adua's kidneys before it was properly diagnosed.
"Although the disease may involve any organ, most commonly it affects your lungs and skin. The restricted blood flow to these organs can cause temporary or permanent damage."
Asthma for which Yar’adua physicians have treated him for a prolonged period of time is a common feature of Churg-Strauss syndrome. The disorder does not have any known cure.
Saharareporters does not have information about Yar'adua's whereabouts in Germany, but a source told our reporters that he is likely to be with attending physicians at the Department of Nephrology, Deutsche Klinik für Diagnostik, Wiesbaden, Germany.
He arrived Germany today -Tuesday, April 15 2008 and checked into the hospital in Wiesbaden at 12 noon. He is expected to return to Nigeria by the weekend.
New details about President Umaru Yar’adua’s health have emerged, pointing to a carefully-managed power struggle in the Presidency at Abuja.
Saharareporters gather that after suffering swellings all over his body over the weekend of Saturday April 12 2008, Yar’Adua was flown out to Germany yesterday night after he barely managed to perform a widely publicized budget signing ceremony from his private residence in the presence of Goodluck Jonathan and a few officials. Only the State House camera crew were allowed to cover the event.
But prior to his departure from Nigeria, according to Aso Rock sources, the president handed over to the National Security Adviser, Major General Sarki Mukhtar (Rtd), the all time powerful Chief of Staff, General Abdullahi Mohammed (rtd) and the Secretary to the Federal Government, Alhaji Baba Gana Kingibe, thus bypassing the official number two man, Goodluck Jonathan.
Saharareporters had reported sometime back that Mr. Jonathan is nothing more than a “social prefect” in Aso Rock, his main duties having been mostly tailored to appearing at social functions to represent his principal.
Also there have been speculations that the core Muslim Northern power bloc is not well-disposed to Jonathan taking over as president, in case Yar’adua becomes incapacitated and unable to carry out official duties. A document in limited circulation, sighted by Saharareporters, is explicit about the possible course of action should Yar’adua die of his current ailment: Mr. Jonathan is expected to resign as Vice-President or he will be forced to do so.
Though Presidency sources downplayed the latest health crisis as some “allergic reaction”, knowledgeable medical sources claim that Yar’adua’s current condition can only be managed for some time, but cannot be cured. It is gathered that his German doctors have communicated this to him since last year.
Yar’adua's medical condition degenerated a long time ago because he was misdiagnosed and treated for Asthma for a long time. His physician in Nigeria continued treating Yar’adua for Asthma with steroids leading to further damage to his health and associated mood changes.
His real ailment, Saharareporters was told, is known as "Churg-Strauss Syndrome", a disorder, according to medical journals, "that causes inflammation in blood vessels (vasculitis), which restricts blood flow to various organs. " . The disorder is believed to have damaged Yar'adua's kidneys before it was properly diagnosed.
"Although the disease may involve any organ, most commonly it affects your lungs and skin. The restricted blood flow to these organs can cause temporary or permanent damage."
Asthma for which Yar’adua physicians have treated him for a prolonged period of time is a common feature of Churg-Strauss syndrome. The disorder does not have any known cure.
Saharareporters does not have information about Yar'adua's whereabouts in Germany, but a source told our reporters that he is likely to be with attending physicians at the Department of Nephrology, Deutsche Klinik für Diagnostik, Wiesbaden, Germany.
He arrived Germany today -Tuesday, April 15 2008 and checked into the hospital in Wiesbaden at 12 noon. He is expected to return to Nigeria by the weekend.
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