ENUGU, Nigeria (VOICE OF NAIJA)- The new President of Liberia, Joseph Boakai, nearly fainted and had to be assisted away from the podium after pausing twice during his inauguration speech, during Presidential inauguration speech.
Surrounded by aides and members of the executive protection service, Boakai was escorted from the ceremony at the Capitol Building, the seat of the legislature in Monrovia, prompting the premature adjournment of the event.
Despite being sworn in as Liberia’s oldest president at the age of 79, rumors about Boakai’s poor health circulated.
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The incident raised questions about his well-being and ability to carry out the responsibilities of the presidency.
The spokesman for Boakai’s ruling Unity Party, Mohammed Ali, attributed the incident to the high temperature, stating, “It is the heat. The heat was high. They should have had some fan or something around there.“
He reassured the public that Boakai’s exhaustion was age-related but emphasized that he had recovered from the incident.
The health scare during the inauguration ceremony adds an unexpected twist to Boakai’s assumption of office, with many now keenly watching how the new president will manage the nation amid ongoing concerns about his physical condition.