NIGERIA: AMBASSADOR-FIRST LADY DISCUSS YAR'ADUA'S

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 ABUJA 002141

SIPDIS

STATE FOR AF/W, INR/AA
DOE FOR GEORGE PERSON

E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/29/2018
TAGS: NI PGOV
SUBJECT: NIGERIA: AMBASSADOR-FIRST LADY DISCUSS YAR'ADUA'S
HEALTH, DENIES LUNG CANCER, BUT ADDS ASTHMA TO THE MIX

REF: A. ABUJA 2104

B. ABUJA 2119

C. ABUJA 2123

Classified By: Ambassador Robin R. Sanders Reason 1.4 (B & D)


1. (C) In an effort to achieve two objectives: finding out
more about the state of Nigerian President Yar'Adua's health,
and informing the Villa that they could call on and trust the
Ambassador, if needed, regarding this situation, she met with
the First Lady Alhaji Turai Yar'Adua one-on-one on October

27. Ambassador began the short courtesy call by noting the
First Lady's good work in the health field ranging from her
activism on HIV/AIDS, malaria, and tuberculosis, as well as
her work with pregnant women, the prison population, and
children's' educational issues. She then turned to the point
of the visit, underscoring USG concerns about the state of
President Yar'Adua's health and that the purpose of meeting
with the First Lady was in the spirit of friendship not only
to offer her good wishes to the President, but also to inform
Mrs. Yar'Adua that, if needed, the Ambassador could be called
and trusted on this issue. The Ambassador then added that
she, as well as many others in the international community,
are hearing that the President is also now suffering from
lung cancer in addition to his kidney disease, and she
therefore wanted the First Lady to be aware of the high
quality and range of medical facilities in the United States
which might be helpful.


2. (C) For her part, the First Lady was very warm and
friendly -- as she has always been with the Ambassador in the
past -- and said that she had been surprised at how much this
rumor had gotten around. She blamed and put the rumor
problems squarely on the shoulders of both "those in the
Peoples' Democratic Party (PDP)," and what she called the
"political opposition," (read the Action Congress (AC) and
the ANPP or All Nigerian Peoples' Party) who were not
"supportive of her husband's goals and objectives for the
country and what he is trying to do to help Nigeria." The
First Lady went on to give an additional example of what she
called "the political oppositions'" tactics, by highlight how
her trip to Houston in early 2008 was painted negatively in
the press, claiming that she had used government resources to
advance her personal interests on the trip. Turai explained
to the Ambassador that she had not only paid for her ticket
out of personal funds, but also financed all her expenses,
but she noted, the press reported otherwise.


3. (C) Mrs. Yar'Adua then said she appreciated the
Ambassador's concern and good wishes and knew and understood
that her overture was done in the interest of friendship and
consideration for her and her husband. Ambassador stressed
that she did not wish to interfere in such a personal issue
as the health of the President, but certainly wanted the
First Lady to know that she can be called on to provide
information, if needed, on various medical facilities in the
United States and trusted on this issue, adding that the
First Lady should "feel free to call on her at anytime." In
addition she said that she "appreciated" that the First Lady
understood and accepted the spirit by which the Ambassador
would raise this issue.


4. (C) In order to ensure that the points were clear, the
Ambassador then asked the First Lady again directly if the
President had lung cancer; she said no. Mrs. Yar'Adua, who
herself is small, appears soft spoken, quiet (although the
reputation that the Mission hears about her is the exact
opposite, including evoking fear in the Villa staff and
Ministers),and has the similar involuntary cough as her
husband's, said that of late the President's asthma had
gotten worse. Therefore while they were performing the lesser
Hajji, it was deemed important for this to be looked at by
doctors in Saudi Arabia. Turai added that she and the
President had laughed when they head the reports of his
cancer, but she noted her husband had always had kidney
problems and has had to take medicine for this issue and
travel to Germany to have regular checkups, noting that this
was nothing new. Mrs. Yar'Adua then underscored in a

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nonchalant manner that in "our religion whatever happens in a
person's life is god's will, including if it is your time to
leave." Ambassador closed the meeting by saying that she was
looking forward to seeing the President in the near future,
but in the meantime would the First Lady send him her best
regards. Turai noted she would pass on to the President the
Ambassador's good wishes, that she wanted to see him, and
that the U.S. remained a friend to Nigeria. The First Lady
gave the Ambassador a hug on departure.


5. (C) Comment: Despite her small demeanor it has been
reported by numerous Mission contacts that Mrs. Yar'Adua not
only fiercely protects her husband, is also known as "Mrs.
President behind her back," and evokes constant fear in the
Villa and among Ministers. It is also reported that she likes
expensive shopping sprees and has her hand in illicit
enrichment activities, including in the oil sector. We have
also heard that it is Turai that had pleaded with Yar'Adua on
her knees recently not to step down because of illness just
after their return from Saudi Arabia. Ambassador did not
expect much information (truthful or otherwise) from the
First Lady, but wanted to put a marker down as close to the
President's ear as possible that we are watching the
situation, and worried about his sustainability as well as
"the what next" for Nigeria in light of his health.

Sanders