Femi Adesina Defends Buhari’s UK Medical Trips, Says Nigerian Hospitals Couldn’t Handle His Condition

Femi Adesina Defends Buhari’s UK Medical Trips, Says Nigerian Hospitals Couldn’t Handle His Condition

Former presidential spokesman Femi Adesina has stated that ex-President Muhammadu Buhari might not have survived his health challenges had he relied solely on medical care within Nigeria.

Adesina made the remarks on Tuesday during a special live broadcast on Channels Television held in tribute to the late president.

Addressing longstanding criticism over Buhari’s frequent medical visits to the United Kingdom during his tenure, Adesina emphasized that the decision was driven by necessity.

“It was a matter of survival,” he said. “Buhari had always received medical treatment in London, even before his presidency. It wasn’t something that started when he assumed office.

According to him, the UK doctors had been managing Buhari’s health before his election in 2015 and were well acquainted with his medical history, making it unwise to change medical teams mid-treatment.

He argued that the decision to continue treatment abroad was based on professional expertise and the limitations of Nigeria’s healthcare system at the time.

“One has to be alive first to get certain things corrected or changed in the country. If Buhari had said he would do his medicals here as a show of patriotism or something, he could have long been dead because there may not be the expertise needed in the country,” he said.

Adesina added that Buhari’s survival and ability to lead the country were directly linked to the quality of care he received abroad.

“He needed to be alive to be able to lead the country to a point where we would have that expertise. So those who complained about his frequent medical trips abroad don’t know that the man needed to be alive first before you can make a change,” he stated.

The former spokesman maintained that the late president’s choice of overseas treatment should be seen within the context of necessity rather than luxury or disregard for local healthcare.

Buhari’s frequent medical trips during his presidency sparked nationwide debate, with many Nigerians questioning why a sitting president would consistently seek treatment abroad instead of strengthening the nation’s ailing health infrastructure.

Critics argued that his actions reflected a lack of confidence in the country’s medical system and sent a discouraging signal to citizens who could not afford overseas treatment.

The conversation around his medical care, according to experts, reflects the longstanding disparity between the healthcare available to the elite and the reality faced by ordinary Nigerians.

Public hospitals in many parts of the country are underfunded, understaffed, and lacking in essential equipment.