Nigeria’s President, Goodluck Jonathan, has
reportedly remained hospitalized at an
undisclosed London hospital to which he was
taken early today after complaining of chronic
stomach pain.
“The President woke up to get ready for the
business of the day only to complain of serious
stomach pain”, one presidency source said.
The personal doctor to the President, Fortune
Fibresima, reportedly administered some medicines
but as the pain escalated, Mr. Jonathan was
reportedly rushed to a hospital. Presidency officials
hoped he would be released to participate at an
Investor’s Council Meeting taking place at the
Hilton Hotel in Central London, about five minutes
from the InterContinental Hotel where the Nigerian
president is lodged. The meeting is the objective of
his visit.
Several presidency sources have confirmed to
SaharaReporters that the President and several
government officials partied heavily into the early
hours of this morning as they celebrated Mr.
Jonathan’s 56th birthday.
The Nigeria leader is accompanied on the trip by
several Ministers and officials, but three state
governors who were invited to accompany him did
not show up. They include the Governor of Delta
State, Emmanuel Uduaghan, who opted to go to
Poland. He was reportedly afraid the London
Metropolitan Police might pull him aside for
questioning concerning his role in the money
laundering fraud that led his cousin and
predecessor as governor, James Ibori, into jail in
the United Kingdom.
Plateau State Governor Jonah Jang and his Borno
State counterpart, Kashim Shettima, were also both
invited on the trip both they did not show up.
Last February, during another visit to London, Mr.
Jonathan came down with an intestinal disorder
described as Amoebic Colitis and he underwent
testing at the London Clinic on Harley Street. It is
unclear if his new troubles are related to that
experience.
President Jonathan is said to have a taste for
ogogoro, a local gin that is widely-enjoyed in the
riverine areas of Southern Nigeria. Presidential
spokesman Reuben Abati has however denied that
alcohol is served in the presidency.
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