Former presidential spokesperson Femi Adesina says ex-President Muhammadu Buhari may not have survived his health challenges if he had used Nigerian hospitals.
Adesina made this statement during a special Channels Television broadcast on Tuesday, held in honour of Buhari, who died in a London hospital and will be buried in Daura.
According to Adesina, many Nigerians who criticized Buhari’s constant medical trips abroad failed to understand the urgency and history of the situation.
“Those doctors in London had handled Buhari’s health before 2015. They knew his full medical history,” Adesina explained.
He added that Buhari had been using London hospitals long before becoming president in 2015.
Therefore, it was risky to switch doctors or seek treatment locally during such a critical period.
“The former president may have died years ago if he had relied on local hospitals,” Adesina said.
“Some Nigerian hospitals don’t have the equipment or skilled professionals for such cases.”
Adesina emphasized that the decision to continue overseas treatment was not about luxury or pride. Rather, it was a matter of survival.
“He needed to stay alive first. One must live before fixing a broken healthcare system,” he said.
His comments came amid widespread reactions over Buhari’s final moments in a UK hospital.
Critics argue the former leader failed to build a world-class health system during his two-term tenure from 2015 to 2023.
However, Adesina urged Nigerians to see Buhari’s medical choices through the lens of pragmatism.
He said the president had to stay alive in order to lead the country, including working on reforms—though those efforts fell short in healthcare.
The debate highlights growing frustrations among Nigerians, especially as public hospitals remain underfunded, understaffed, and unequipped.
Citizens often face long delays, misdiagnosis, and poor service, especially in rural areas.
Adesina’s remarks have reignited conversations about inequality in access to healthcare and the double standard set by political elites who seek treatment abroad.