By Joshua Tosin Ogunsakin 
Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Wale Edun, is said to be recuperating at his Abuja residence after taking ill, with the Presidency making it clear that President Bola Tinubu has no intention of replacing him. Reliable sources within the Presidency confirmed this development to The Punch on Sunday.
According to a senior government official who spoke to The Punch correspondent and requested anonymity because he was not authorised to speak publicly, rumours claiming that Edun suffered a stroke or had been flown abroad for medical treatment were untrue.
“Yes, he’s unwell, and it’s somewhat serious, but it’s not a stroke,” the source clarified. “He’s currently in his home here in Abuja and hasn’t travelled out for medical care. If his doctors eventually recommend it, he might, but for now, he’s being managed in Nigeria.”
Another official also affirmed that Nigerian doctors are attending to the Minister. “He’s receiving proper medical attention from local doctors who are closely monitoring his condition. If there’s a need for treatment abroad, that option remains open. However, there are no talks or plans to replace him,” the source added.
The President’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, confirmed the same, saying Edun is receiving treatment in Nigeria and responding well. “Yes, he’s ill. Wale Edun, who is about 69 years old, suddenly fell sick. As we speak, he is in Nigeria and is recuperating,” Onanuga said in a telephone conversation on Sunday evening.
The Presidency’s clarification followed a report by The Whistler which suggested that President Tinubu might be preparing to name a replacement after news of the Minister’s ill health surfaced late last week.
Earlier, the Presidency had also confirmed that Edun would not be attending this year’s Annual Meetings of the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) in Washington, D.C. In his place, the Central Bank of Nigeria Governor, Olayemi Cardoso, will lead the Nigerian delegation. The global meetings, which attract finance ministers, central bank governors, and economic experts, are scheduled to begin on Monday, October 14.
Appointed on 28 August 2023, Edun has been a key figure in President Tinubu’s economic management team, steering fiscal reforms aimed at stabilising the naira, controlling inflation, and improving investor confidence.
Before joining the federal cabinet, Edun served as Lagos State Commissioner for Finance between 1999 and 2004 under Tinubu’s administration.
As at press time, the Ministry of Finance had yet to issue an official statement on the Minister’s state of health.