The Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Mr. Wale Edun, is recuperating at his Abuja home after falling ill, and there are no plans by President Bola Tinubu to replace him.
Speaking with our correspondent, a senior official who preferred not to be named because he was not authorised to speak publicly dismissed rumours that the minister had suffered a stroke or been flown abroad for treatment.
“Yes, he’s indisposed. He’s sick, which is a bit serious, but it’s not stroke,” the source said.
“As I’m talking to you, he’s in his house. He has not been flown anywhere. Of course, he might seek medical attention elsewhere if the doctors say that is necessary. So, it’s not true that he has a stroke. He doesn’t have a stroke, which is why we put it in the statement that he is indisposed.”
Another presidency official confirmed that Edun is being attended to by Nigerian doctors and could seek treatment abroad if required.
“He’s being attended to by Nigerian doctors. They’re still monitoring him. If he needs medical care outside Nigeria, he will go. But he’s still at home,” he said, adding, “There are no plans to replace him.”
Meanwhile, the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Mr. Bayo Onanuga, also confirmed that the minister is receiving medical care in Nigeria.
“Yes, he’s indisposed. Wale Edun is about 69 years old. He suddenly fell ill. As we are talking, he is in Nigeria. He is recuperating. He’s around,” Onanuga told our correspondent on Sunday evening.
The Presidency’s clarification follows reports that President Tinubu was considering replacing the minister after news of his ill health surfaced late last week.
Earlier, the Presidency had announced that Edun would not be attending this year’s World Bank and International Monetary Fund (IMF) Annual Meetings in Washington, D.C., noting that the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Mr. Olayemi Cardoso, would lead Nigeria’s delegation instead.
The meetings, which bring together finance ministers, central bankers, and economic experts from around the world, are scheduled to begin on Monday, October 14.
Appointed on August 28, 2023, as Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Edun has been at the forefront of President Tinubu’s fiscal reform agenda, including efforts to stabilise the naira, reduce inflation, and attract foreign investment.
He previously served as Lagos State Commissioner for Finance under Tinubu’s administration between 1999 and 2004.
As of press time, the Federal Ministry of Finance had yet to issue an official statement on the minister’s health.