Topic: Let's pray for Our President!

Hospitalized President Umaru Yar’Adua has been diagnosed with acute pericarditis, an inflammatory condition of the coverings of the heart, presidential spokesman, Mr. Olusegun Adeniyi, has confirmed.

He told the State House correspondents in Abuja yesterday that the president who was rumoured to have died two days ago in far away Saudi Arabia had last Friday at about 3pm complained of left sided severe chest pain soon after he returned from the Central Mosque where he performed Juma’at prayers.

Quoting the president’s chief physician, Dr. Salisu Banye, Adeniyi said following the complaint, President Yar’Adua was then subjected to a preliminary medical examination which suggested he had acute pericarditis.
“It was then decided that he should undertake confirmatory checks at the King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Centre in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia where he had his last medical check-up in August.

“The medical review and tests undertaken at the hospital have confirmed the initial diagnosis that the president is indeed suffering from acute pericarditis,” Adeniyi further pointed out, adding “he is now receiving treatment for the ailment and is responding remarkably well.”
Asked if the president was aware of the latest rumour concerning his death and how he felt about it, he answered in the affirmative, saying as a human being, he naturally felt bad about it, adding, however, “what can we do, we can’t legislate against rumour. There is nothing anybody can do.”

On why the president left the country by midnight on Monday, fuelling rumour that he couldn’t walk and was carried into the aircraft, he said the delay in his departure was caused by the inability of his personal aides to secure visa on time due to the holiday.
“Actually what happened was that the president was supposed to leave earlier in the day but because of the holidays in Saudi Arabia, they couldn’t procure his visa on time,” he further explained.

Responding to a report on a foreign wire service that President Yar’Adua would perform the hajj, the presidential spokesman dismissed it as not true, pointing out that even before he travelled, he (president) knew he was not going to perform the hajj.
“Even when I did the first draft of the statement, I stated that the president will do medicals and undergo Hajj, but he said no, I am not going to do Hajj. So there is no way he is going to do Hajj,” he added.

On when the president was expected back into the country, he said “once I know, I will tell you, I will give you an update.”
Meanwhile, Adeniyi said the president had directed the Vice President, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan, to receive, on his behalf, the Muslim community in Abuja today when they pay the traditional Sallah homage.

No news about him yet.I join to pray that he survives it.Amen