President Buhari is paralyzed, suffering from partial stroke, unfit to rule again

President Mohmmodu Buhari may not be able to preside over the affairs of  Nigeria again as his deteriorating health had been compounded with partial paralysis.
The President was on January 19, 2017 ferried out of the country in an air ambulance, four days earlier than the date communicated to the National Assembly for him to embark on medical vacation to the United Kingdom. 

President Buhari had written to the National Assembly about his 10 days medical trip to UK, in line with Section 145 (1) of the 1999 constitution as amended. 

According to the letter which was read at plenary, Tuesday,  January 19, by Senate President, Bukola Saraki, President Buhari said he will be away from Monday  January 23 to Monday, February 6, 2017, but he couldn’t wait till the  January 23 before he was rushed out of the country.

See the paralyzed left limb

Nigerians thought he was dead, when rumours oozed out from the rumour peddlers that the septuagenarian had died. The rumors, though dispelled by the the president’s men  got Nigerians who were eagerly and desperately wanting to see to the end of hardship befallen them elated.

Zarrah, one of the President’s daughter posted on her social media (facebook) Timeline that her father had recovered greatly, and some cheering pictures of President Buhari and his wife, Aisha have been rocking the cyberspace since Morning of Sunday 29. 

“The president isn’t dead after all, but has been greatly hit with partial paralysis which has rendered his left limb paralyzed,” a source said. 

In the pictures, President Buhari left limb has lost control. Buhari’s left limb, (a major appendage of human or animal, used for locomotion) has lost functionality, and could be seen in the pictures that it was been aided by the second hand. 

The left limb being aided by the right hand

A stroke is the rapidly developing loss of brain functions due to a disturbance in the blood vessels supplying blood to the brain. This can be due to ischemia (lack of blood supply) caused by thrombosis or embolism or due to a hemorrhage. As a result, the affected area of the brain is unable to function, leading to inability to move one or more limbs on one side of the body, inability to understand or formulate speech or inability to see one side of the visual field.

A severe stroke, if not treated in time, can result in death. Even if the stroke is not fatal, it may cause neurological damage that will leave the patient incapacitated for life. The brain is one of the most complex organs in the body. Even if other organs fail, the brain may continue to keep functioning. But when the brain stops functioning completely – brain death – the other organs have nothing to control them and gradually die also.

The Nigerian Constitution is not silent in this situation. The Constitution of the Federal republic of Nigeria 1999, chapter IV, Section 144 (1) states that; the President or Vice-President shall cease to hold office, if –
(a) by a resolution passed by two-thirds majority of all the members of the executive council of the Federation it is declared that the President or Vice-President is incapable of discharging the functions of his office; and

(b) the declaration is verified, after such medical examination as may be necessary, by a medical panel established under subsection (4) of this section in its report to the President of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives.

(2) Where the medical panel certifies in the report that in its opinion the President or Vice-President is suffering from such infirmity of body or mind as renders him permanently incapable of discharging the functions of his office, a notice thereof signed by the President of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives shall be published in the Official Gazette of the Government of the Federation.

The Northern Oligarchy having got wind of the precarious situation Buhari is, summoned into series of emergency meetings all the 19 Northern governors, Emirs, Sultan and notable people from the region.
Rumors have it that it was discussed in those meetings that power should not be relinquished to the Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, should Buhari dies; and should Buhari be incapacitated like he is, the trusted allies of Mr President running the country should continue running it.