President Jonathan Remains Hospitalized For Chronic Stomach Pain

 

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.