KOGI State governor, Captain Idris Wada, has told medical personnel of Cedar Crest Hospital, Garki, Abuja where he is undergoing treatment for a fractured thigh not to fly him abroad, his spokesman, Jacob Edi, has said.Edi told Sunday Tribune, on Saturday, in Abuja, that the governor rejected suggestions that he should be flown abroad for further treatment.
He also disclosed that the governor did not sustain life-threatening injuries and that he was in stable condition.
“He has been receiving calls and he has made calls. He has also received visitors, including Vice- President Namadi Sambo; Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Senator Anyim Pius Anyim; former National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Senator Ahmadu Ali; and the governor of Ekiti State, Dr. Kayode Fayemi, among others. He is in stable health and his mind his stable,” the Special Adviser to the governor said.
Also on Saturday, the Chief Medical Director (CMD) of the hospital, Dr Felix Ogedengbe, told journalists that Governor Wada, who survived an auto crash on Friday at Emi Woro Village, between Prime Polytechnic and Salem University, in Ajaokuta Local Government, about 12 kilometres to the state capital, Lokoja, was in stable condition and would not be flown abroad for treatment.
Dr Ogedengbe, who stated this during a press conference, said the governor could be treated at the hospital.
The conference was jointly addressed by the CMD and the governor’s aide, Edi, apparently to dispel growing rumour about the governor’s condition.
Governor Wada, who was rushed to the orthopaedic hospital on Friday night, suffered a broken thigh and had since undergone surgery.
The CMD explained that the governor was brought to the hospital at 8.00 p.m. on Friday “without any life-threatening injury,” adding that he was immediately taken to the theatre after his injuries had been ascertained and explained to him.
“When the governor was brought in at 8.00 p.m., we were told he was involved in a car accident and we checked him and explained the nature of his injuries to him. We also told him about our ability to manage his injuries.
“He had a broken thigh and he was taken to the theatre. The governor has since stabilised and he had a nice night. He said he should not be taken abroad for treatment, because he had confidence in our capacity to manage him. There is no immediate need to fly him abroad,” Ogedengbe stated.
The Medical Director, however, said he could not tell when the governor would be discharged because he needed time to recuperate.
“The governor is quite happy to take treatment here; the treatment is ongoing. He needs some days in the hospital and I can’t give a date of discharge now,” he said.
Edi also told journalists that thronged the hospital that the news conference was meant to dispel speculations and give the public the right information on Wada’s state of health.
He disclosed that the governor was taken to Kogi State Specialist Hospital after the crash and that he was brought to Abuja for better management, adding that Wada was in better shape in the morning.
“The governor is in stable condition. I was here with him throughout the night and we shook hands this morning. Captain Wada insisted that he won’t be flown abroad for treatment; he said he believed in the competence of Nigerian doctors,” Edi said.
Captain Wada was said to be returning from the annual Igala Education Summit, which he declared opened at the state university at Anyigba, when the accident occurred.
ADC’s remains taken to Zaria
Meanwhile, the remains of the aide-de-camp (ADC) to the governor, Mohammad Idris, an Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP), who lost his life in the accident, has been taken to his hometown, Zaria, Kaduna State for burial.
His corpse left Lokoja around 7.00 a.m. on Saturday in a convoy accompanied by government officials and his colleagues. As a Muslim, he is expected to be buried according to Islamic rites.
Deputy thanks God for Wada
The state deputy governor, Yomi Awoniyi, said he was full of praises and thanks to the Almighty God for the safety He granted Captain Wada in the Friday accident.
In a statement signed by his Chief Press Secretary, Mike Abu, and made available to journalists on Saturday, he thanked those who rendered assistance during the auto crash.
He said he particularly thanked “those who, through their presence, phone calls, prayers and concern in ensuring that the governor recovers speedily.”
The deputy governor added that he thanked God that “the governor is now hale and hearty,” praising Him for his speedy recovery.
Abu said Awoniyi also commiserated with the family of the late ADC, Idris, who died in the crash, and described him as “a fine gentleman and a gallant officer whose services would be mostly missed by the state government.”
Awoniyi, therefore, urged the people to remain calm as the situation is under control, assuring that very soon, the Governor Wada would personally reach out, through calls, to thank them for their concern.
Wada’s ADC buried in Zaria
The Aide-De-Camp (ADC) to Governor Idris Wada of Kogi state, ASP Idris Muhammad, has been buried in his home town, Zaria, on Saturday.
He was reported to have died immediately after the front wheels of the governor’s car pulled off while the car was on high speed and the vehicle somersaulted several times before ramming into an uncompleted building.
Muhammed, reports said, had not fastened his seat belt and was flung out of the SUV while it somersaulted.
The police officer was buried at a Muslim Cemetery near Muchiya area close to Sabon Gari, Zaria, immediately after the Chief Imam of the community conducted the janaza prayers.
The funeral was witnessed by dignitaries from within and outside the state, while a powerful government delegation from Kogi State that accompanied the corpse later visited and condoled with the deceased’s family.
Other security agents and senior police officers were also at the funeral, where prayers were offered intermittently for the late officer.
Sources said Wada was returning from Ayingba after attending the Igala Summit, when his official vehicle was involved in the crash.
“Wada was said to be in a haste to return to Lokoja, the state capital for the Friday Jumat prayer. He left Ayingba by 1 p.m. after asking his convoy of vehicles to speed up so as to meet the prayer session. However, the accident occurred at Eleta-Jimgbe (a suburb in Lokoja) which was about five minutes drive to the Jumat Mosque.”
“It was curious. Only the governor’s vehicle was involved; nothing happened to other vehicles in his front or those at the back,” sources said.
“The ADC, who was not putting on his seat belt, died on the spot as he was flung out while the governor, his orderly and driver were treated at the State Specialist Hospital, Lokoja, before being flown to an hospital in Abuja for further treatment,” the soources said.
His accident lamentable –Amosun
Ogun State governor, Senator Ibikunle Amosun, also lamented the auto crash involving Captain Wada, which resulted in the death of his aide-de-camp, Idris “and serious injuries to others, including the governor.”
While condoling with the government and people of Kogi State over the incident, Amosun, in a press release by his Senior Special Assistant on Media, Mrs. Funmi Wakama, described the accident as “unfortunate, especially coming on the heels of the regrettable death of Governor Patrick Yakowa and former National Security Adviser, General Owoye Azazi, in a helicopter crash.”
She said the governor wished Captain Wada and others involved in the accident speedy recovery and prayed for the repose of the soul of the late ADC.
God will preserve Wada for PDP, Nigeria –Fayose
Former governor of Ekiti State, Mr Ayodele Fayose, also enjoined the people of Kogi State and all Nigerians to have hope in God that Governor Wada will soon be hale and hearty, maintaining that God would preserve him for the country.
The governorship aspirant in Ekiti State, who spoke with Sunday Tribune on telephone Saturday, noted that Nigeria should thank God that the plan of the devil for it to lose another governor had been thwarted.
“I want the people of Kogi State, entire Nigerians and particularly members of our great party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to have faith in God that He will preserve Captain Wada for us. We must continue to pray for him. We must, first of all, thank God that He has thwarted the plan of the devil to deny us another of our governors.
“I also seize this opportunity to condole with the family of his ADC who reportedly died in the accident. I wish Governor Wada and others who sustained injuries in the accident very quick recovery. We should all have faith in God that they will soon be hale and hearty,” Fayose said.
Aide wants Christians to pray for Wada today
Special Adviser to Kogi State Governor on Inter-Governmental Affairs, Austin Alaba Medaiyedu, has enjoined all the people of the state, “both at home and abroad” to pray for the quick and speedy recovery of Governor Wada.
Medaiyedu, in a statement he personally signed and made available to journalists on Saturday, said the governor was responding to treatment, but needed the prayers of everyone.
“All religion organisations, particularly the Christian community, should dedicate today’s Sunday service, being the last Sunday of year, to praying for the health of the governor. I want to advise all the numerous admirers, supporters and well-wishers of the governor not to be distracted with the activities of rumour mongers, whose stock-in-trade is to peddle unimaginable rumour at all times. The governor is in a stable condition as he is responding to treatment,” he said.
Medaiyedu, who sympathised with the family of the ADC to the governor, Mohammad Idris, also prayed to God to grant them the fortitude to bear the loss.
Describing Idris as “a fine officer and a gentleman,” Madaiyedu said his death was a great loss to Kogi State and the nation in general.
Deputy still holidaying in London
Meanwhile, the deputy governor, Awoniyi, who is currently holidaying in London, is still being expected.
Awoniyi, who travelled out before the Christmas celebration, is expected to come back and take over the affairs of the state in the absence of Governor Wada.
Reports emanating from government officials indicated that the Awoniyi is expected in the state before Monday as it would take the governor some time to recover fully to resume office.
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