Minister demanded daily update on ex-president's health in 2009

Amidst uncoordinated reports on the health status of former President Umar Musa YaAdua in 2009, Lai Mohammed demanded a daily briefing from then minister of information, Dora Akunyili.

Lai Mohammed, now minister of information made the demand while acting in his capacity as spokesman for the Action Congress (AC).

In a report by on Monday, December 21, 2019, Mohammed said: "the current situation whereby ministers and aides of the President give out uncoordinated information on his health, is doing more harm than good."

He goes on further: “It is clear to discerning Nigerians that those pretending to speak authoritatively on the President's health are deceiving the public since they are neither well informed on the issue nor competent to speak on it.

“Therefore, a daily briefing by the Minister of Information, based on authentic details provided by the President's doctors, should start forthwith. As we have said many times, the health of the President, as a public figure can no longer be of interest only to his family and friends. Nigerians have a right to know," he said.

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The AC also called on the Federal Executive Council (FEC), the only body constitutionally empowered to start the process of determining whether or not the President (Yar'Adua) could continue in office on the basis of his health, to rise above mundane considerations and put the nation's interest first.

Late Yar'Adua was elected Nigeria's president on April 21, 2007, on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

Yar'Adua died on May 5, 2010, after a long battle with Pericarditis.