The Dan Nwanyanwu, National Leader of the Zenith Labour Party, has shared an account of the late MKO Abiola’s motivation to seek Nigeria’s presidency, recalling a hospital visit that left a lasting impression on the billionaire politician.
Nwanyanwu said he and President Bola Ahmed Tinubu frequently visited Abiola while he was admitted at a Lagos hospital. During one of these visits, Abiola reportedly narrated an emotional experience he had in a London hospital where he underwent surgery.
According to Nwanyanwu, Abiola recalled being wheeled into the operating theater and seeing six white doctors around him, waiting for the chief surgeon.
When the black surgeon, who turned out to be Nigerian, entered, Abiola was deeply moved.
“He said, ‘Ekaso,’ and Abiola, surprised, responded in Yoruba. He asked, ‘Are you Nigerian?’ The doctor confirmed, and tears dropped from his eyes.
“Abiola told me that this encounter inspired his resolve to bring world-class healthcare to Nigeria,” Nwanyanwu said in an interview on Arise News Prime Time.
Abiola reportedly vowed to establish top-tier hospitals in every state and to repatriate Nigerian medical professionals excelling abroad.
Nwanyanwu lamented that funds meant for such hospitals have been misappropriated at the federal level over the years.
“Abiola told me that was part of the reason he wanted to be president. Tinubu knows this, because we visited Abiola’s house almost daily,” Nwanyanwu added, recalling his time attending to Abiola during his hospital stay.
The revelation highlights the late Abiola’s enduring vision for healthcare reform as a central pillar of his political ambition.