Presidency Debunks Rumours of First Lady’s Illness & Treatment in German Hospital – “She travelled to take a moment’s rest”

The Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Reuben Abati and Patience Jonathan’s spokesman, Ayo Osinlu have debunked the rumours making rounds that the first lady has been in a hospital in Germany undergoing treatment for food poisoning.

Sahara Reporters first broke the news on Sunday, September 2nd 2012 and it has since gone viral, generating a range of reactions from Nigerians.

The report alleged that the First Lady was airlifted to the hospital by an air ambulance midweek under emergency medical conditions. It also stated that she was only able to speak four days after her arrival in Germany, because the illness had been so severe that she lost her voice.

However, the Presidency, in its reaction on Monday, denied that Mrs Jonathan had been hospitalised for food poisoning.

Her spokesman, Ayo Osinlu, confirmed that she had travelled out of the country but denied the rumoured illness. Osinlu said the President’s wife travelled out of the country to take a “moment’s rest”. He, however, did not disclose Mrs Jonathan’s whereabouts.

“If you look at her itinerary in August, you would be wondering how she was able to accomplish that. In the course of this week, she will be back home. But remember, it all depends on her plans,” he told Punch.

The Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Reuben Abati, who also spoke on the matter, dismissed Mrs Jonathan’s widely reported illness as a rumour.

Abati insisted that the story “was a rumour and there is nothing like that”.