Atiku Abubakar adviser calls for health checks for Nigeria’s presidential candidates
In Nigeria, Paul Ibe, media adviser to Atiku Abubakar, called for the introduction of independent medical assessments for presidential candidates ahead of the 2027 elections. In a column for Premium Times Nigeria, he wrote that a president’s health may become a national security issue if it affects the ability to perform constitutional duties.
Independent assessment
Ibe believes that the Nigerian Medical Association should initiate a nationwide discussion on rules for assessing the health of presidential aspirants. In his view, an independent multidisciplinary commission could establish standards, conduct examinations and issue professional confirmation of fitness, while preserving medical confidentiality.
The author stressed that such an assessment should not concern age, disability or the stigmatization of illnesses. According to him, a person with a chronic illness or disability may be capable of performing presidential duties; the key criterion should be the ability to continuously and effectively exercise constitutional powers.
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Constitutional provisions and equal standards
Ibe noted that Nigeria’s 1999 Constitution, as amended, does not explicitly require presidential candidates to undergo a medical examination. At the same time, Article 137 concerns mental incapacity, while Article 144 provides a procedure for determining the permanent inability of an incumbent president or vice president to perform duties due to physical or mental infirmity.
The column mentions President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Atiku Abubakar and Peter Obi. Ibe called for a single independent standard to be applied to all candidates and urged against drawing medical conclusions from photographs, speeches or social media videos. He also referred to public concern and political disputes which, he said, were caused by health problems and prolonged medical absences of the president during Muhammadu Buhari’s administration.
The author added that the Nigerian Medical Association had previously advocated medical and psychiatric assessments for presidential and gubernatorial candidates.
