Cable: Nigerian President Had Kidney TransplantBy THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
Published: January 23, 2011

Filed at 8:11 a.m. EST

LAGOS, Nigeria (AP) — U.S. diplomatic cables released by the WikiLeaks website claim late Nigerian President Umaru Yar'Adua had a kidney transplant before becoming the leader of Africa's most populous nation.

The cables claim Yar'Adua had the transplant in 2002, while still governor of the northern state of Katsina. Yar'Adua stood as the presidential candidate for the ruling People's Democratic Party in 2007 — despite the apparent knowledge of party insiders about his debilitated condition.

The cables suggest Yar'Adua's handlers stuffed his clothes to hide his weight loss and used makeup on the ailing leader. The cables suggest he apparently needed another transplant, but didn't leave the country.

Yar'Adua died in May 2010, propelling Vice President Goodluck Jonathan into the presidency.


http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/2011/01/23/world/africa/AP-AF-WikiLeaks-Nigeria.html?hp