Yar’Adua’s In-Law Badamasi ‘Is Brain-Damaged’
Headlines Monday, January 31st, 2011Alhaji Badamasi Kabir Usman, the son-in-law of former president Umaru Musa Yar’Adua, was yesterday reported to have completely lost the basic functions of his brain while in admission in a London hospital.Badamasi, who represents the Katsina federal constituency in the House of Representatives, is the son of the late Emir of Katsina, Alhaji Muhammadu Kabir Usman, and younger brother to the incumbent emir.
The ruling party in Katsina, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), has drafted his second wife Maryam, the late president’s eldest daughter, into the race to replace him in the House of Representatives. She recently won the primary election.
Maryam had returned to Nigeria from the United Kingdom to stand in the election, while her co-wife Bilkisu remained in London to look after the husband.
Badamasi went to London about a month ago for medical check after suffering bouts of an undisclosed illness. Family sources said he is suffering from diabetes.
According to sources, the day he checked in at one of the Marriott Hotels in London, he put the ‘Don’t Disturb’ sign on his door. It was more than 24 hours later that the hotel management realised he had not come out of his room at all.
They invited the police, who found out that he had been in a coma.
Sources told LEADERSHIP that he was rushed to the Intensive Care Unit of St. Mary’s Hospital, Paddington, where he was said to have been diagnosed with an overdose of some substances, the type of which was not disclosed to our correspondent.
However, he was recently moved to a nursing home in St. John Woods, Central London.
Reports reaching LEADERSHIP suggested that he might be brain-damaged.
Badamasi became a member of the House of Representatives in controversial circumstances in 2007. His election was challenged in court by Alhaji Sule Maiyawo of the All Nigeria People’s Party (ANPP), who accused him of presenting fake and forged school certificates to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
The election was annuled by the state electoral tribunal, but the judgement was upturned by the Court of Appeal in Kaduna.
Badamasi was regarded by his colleagues in the House of Representatives as a “truant member” because apart from attending the House inauguration on June 4, 2007, he was hardly seen in the National Assembly. His father-in-law having become president, he moved with his family into one of the houses in the presential villa.
He had recently indicated his interest to re-contest his seat in the lower chamber of the National assembly, but his deteriorating health made the Katsina State governor, Alhaji Ibrahim Shehu Shema, and the PDP chieftains in the state to give Maryam an automatic ticket to vie for the seat. Maryam is a special assistant to the governor on women’s affairs.
The decision, however, has caused a rift in the party, with members of the party screened to contest for the post crying wolf. They included the state Commissioner for Youths, Bishir Gambo Saulawa; Abba M.T. Usman, proprietor of Liyafa Palace Hotel, and about four others.
-Leadership
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