I knew Yar’Adua was ill – Obasanjo

Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has denied the allegation that he deliberately supported a “sick” Musa Yar’Adua, for the presidency in 2007, for selfish interests.

Obasanjo, who spoke on Sunday in a virtual interview with academic and historian, Toyin Falola, admitted that he knew the late President Musa Yar’Adua was ill but noted that his medical record was checked before choosing him.

According to Obasanjo, Yar’Adua’s medical record showed that he was fit to act as President.

Yar’Adua, who later won the 2007 presidential election, died in office in May 2010, but Obasanjo noted that he had no wrong motives for choosing him.

He said: “Let me tell you the story of Umaru Yar’adua. I knew he was ill and before I put him forward, I asked for his medical report which he sent to me and I sent it to one of the best doctors of our time and a good friend of mine who died only last year –Professor Akinkugbe.

“I said look at it because it is confidential and he said to me that from this report, this man has had a kidney transplant and it is successful, he is no longer under dialysis.

“And if you have a kidney transplant and it is successful, it is as good as if you didn’t have a kidney transplant at all. I accepted that and Umaru Yar’adua contested within the party and he contested within the country and came up.

“In the process of the campaign, I remember that he had to go for a medical checkup abroad and he was not around for a campaign here in Abeokuta.

“I called him because the rumour was that he had died. I called him on my telephone and put it on speaker. I said, ‘Umaru, are you dead or alive?’ and he said, ‘I am not dead, I am alive’.