Yoruba youth group wants Buhari’s health status investigated

An amalgamated body of all the indigenous youth groups and student groups in the South-West of Nigeria, the Yoruba Council of Youths Worldwide, on Friday called on the National Assembly to set up a committee to investigate the fitness level and health status of President Muhammadu Buhari.

The President returned to Nigeria on Friday morning after 49 days in London, sparking controversy over his health status and fitness to rule Nigeria.

The body said the constitution of the committee, which was to be made up of medical experts headed by the President’s chief physician, was in line with section 144 of the Nigeria’s constitution.

At a press conference held in Ibadan to announce plans to inaugurate the group’s national secretariat and formal swearing in of the Oyo State Council Executive members, national president of the group, Oladotun Hassan, called on Buhari to have adequate rest in order to be in good shape to resume work as the nation’s president. He said it was however important to know the true status of Buhari’s health so as to avoid embarrassment among the comity of nations.

He said, “There are a lot of uncertainties surrounding the state of health of President Buhari and many Nigerians, particularly the over 70 per cent of the Yoruba people, who voted him into office, are even being denied information about the President’s state of health.

“As much as we wish him speedy recovery and good health to continue the good work he has started in the country, we want to say that the President must ensure he takes as much rest as he needs if he finds himself still unhealthy enough for the rigours of the office.

“The health of the President is more important to the nation. As such, we call on the National Assembly to set up a committee or panel to investigate the fitness and health status of the President, so that Nigerians will know the level of support to offer him.”

On the Ile-Ife crisis, the group called on the Governor of Osun State, Rauf Aregbesola, security operatives, particularly the Inspector General of Police, Ibrahim Idris, to set up an investigative panel to get the perpetrators and bring them to justice.