Lola Ade-John, Nigeria’s tourism minister has been hospitalised in Abuja after reportedly suffering acute poisoning.
Her family members fear time was running against their efforts to save her life.
The 60 year old was rushed to the Federal Medical Centre, Jabi, shortly after she started manifesting symptoms of her poisoning, family sources said.
The banker and tech investor has been on a machine to aid her breathing sources said.
Her worsening situation has further set the family against the government, with the permanent secretary of her ministry said to be in disagreement as to whether she should continue receiving treatment at a public hospital or be moved to a better-equipped private facility downtown.
The permanent secretary, Ngozi Onwudike, was said to have insisted that the minister should not be transferred because the FMC is a public hospital and its services wouldn’t attract substantial charges to the government, a position her family rebuffed. But they remained with her as they could not raise funds to move her to a private hospital.
Ms Ade-John was appointed as a minister by President Bola Tinubu in August.
She was immediately touted as one of the few cabinet members appointed from outside the political beltway. She was based in London for years before she was asked to return to the country to serve by the president.