Nzeribe

Maverick politician and former Senator,  Chief Arthur Nzeribe has denied wide speculations that he had suffered stroke and confined to his Oguta, Imo State home for recuperation.

The speculations followed some pictures of the Senator posted on social media by a man who claimed to be his relation with inference that the 79-year-old businessman has been grounded by stroke.

The social media has gone into frenzy over the photographs of the ex-Senator who has been out of public glare for some years.

Many had insinuated that the stroke is just reward for the role played by Nzeribe in the annulment of June 12, 1993 presidential election.  Others however cautioned that as an old man, it will not be strange if the businessman is suffering from age related diseases or stroke.

But Nzeribe denied the claims that he had suffered stroke in a statement released by one Mr. Collins Ughala who claimed to be his press secretary on Saturday.

The press stated, “The attention of Chief Senator Francis Arthur Nzeribe has been drawn to the hateful speeches going on against him in the media, especially the social media, including the unfounded rumour that he has a stroke.

“Chief Nzeribe should have ignored this hateful rumour, but to set the record straight, this brief response is offered to the effect that the rumour is false, as I don’t have a stroke.”

“At 79 years old, I am hale and hearty and not suffering from a stroke. I am not in my community, Oguta, in Imo State. I am resting in my house in Abuja. And I thank God for keeping me healthy and allowing me see old age.

“Life and death are in God’s hands, and God willing, I will remain hale and hearty and not suffer a stroke until such a time when God calls me home. And no amount of hateful speech can change or alter God’s plans for me or anyone else.

“I am not suffering from stroke and I cannot wish anyone to suffer stroke. But to those manufacturing and spreading this hateful speech against me, I wish them the best.

“God has deemed it fit for me to see old age in good health, and there is nothing more to ask from God.”

Chief Nzeribe had similarly debunked a rumour that he was terminally ill and that his wife had abandoned him in 2015 following similar speculations.

Ughala had said then that the septuagenarian had only had “a domestic accident which resulted in some pains in his hip region, and he had to be hospitalised in Nizamiya Hospital in Abuja.”

According to him, Nzeribe was hospitalised for “just 10 days after slipping in his house;” after he successfully underwent surgery to repair a cracked hip bone that resulted from the fall.

Chief Francis Arthur Nzeribe was born on November 2 , 1938, in Oguta Imo State. (NAN)