Former presidential spokesman, Femi Adesina, has revealed that former President Muhammadu Buhari might not have survived his serious health challenges if he had relied solely on treatment in Nigerian hospitals.
Speaking during a special live broadcast on Channels Television held in honour of the late president, Adesina defended Buhari’s frequent medical trips to the United Kingdom, insisting the decision was driven by necessity rather than luxury.
“Buhari always had his medicals in London, even when he was not in office. So, it was not about the time he was president alone. He had always had it there,” Adesina explained, addressing long-standing criticism over Buhari’s overseas medical care.
Adesina stated that UK doctors had been managing Buhari’s health before he was elected president in 2015 and were already familiar with his medical history, making it medically unwise to change doctors or hospitals mid-treatment.
“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,” Adesina said.
He stressed that Buhari’s survival and ability to govern Nigeria depended on the quality of healthcare he received abroad.
“He needed to be alive to be able to lead the country to a point where we would have that expertise.
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“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,” Adesina stated.
Buhari’s frequent medical trips to the UK became one of the most controversial aspects of his presidency, sparking national debates about Nigeria’s healthcare system and the growing trend of medical tourism among the country’s political elite.
Many Nigerians criticised the late president’s reliance on foreign hospitals, arguing it signalled a lack of confidence in Nigeria’s own healthcare institutions and sent a discouraging message to citizens who cannot afford medical treatment abroad.
Healthcare experts say the controversy around Buhari’s medical trips highlights deep-rooted problems in Nigeria’s health sector, including underfunded hospitals, shortages of medical professionals, and outdated equipment.
Buhari’s presidency was marked by repeated promises to improve Nigeria’s healthcare system, yet many public hospitals remain overstretched and under-resourced, forcing both ordinary citizens and government officials to seek medical care overseas.
