Ben Agande
3 September 2008
AN expectant nation is awaiting the return, today, of President Umaru Yar'Adua from his two-week trip to Saudi Arabia.
He was due to depart Jeddah at press time last night and arrive Abuja early this morning.
The President himself hinted in a newspaper interview from Jeddah that he would be back in Nigeria "anytime from Monday."
The Presidential Villa, the official residence and office of the President, remained quiet yesterday and there was nothing suggestive of any arrangement for the President's return.
No official was willing to speak on the matter and those who did on anonymous condition said they were in the dark about the President's trip.
Vanguard gathered that Vice President Goodluck Jonathan spoke with the President on phone on Monday but details of their conversation were unavailable.
Following increasing public anxiety over the President's trip especially reports that he was receiving treatment in a Saudi hospital, the Federal Government twice last week issued statements, saying all was well with him.
Information Minister, Mr. John Odey, and his Foreign Affairs counterpart, Chief Ojo Maduekwe, last Wednesday told State House correspondents that the President was in Saudi Arabia performing the lesser hajj.
While Mr. Odey described hajj as a personal religious obligation that should not be in the public domain, Chief Maduekwe said delay in the President's return had nothing to do with his health.
Following the President's failure to return from Saudi Arabia last week, his planned trip to Brazil was called off but the Foreign Affairs Minister said it was only "adjusted" following a "development that needed our immediate attention."
"There is nothing unusual about it. It was deferred. Nothing unusual about it. It happened several times," he said.
Mr. Odey said the president would return home "anytime from now."
All these seemed. not to have impressed many Nigerians who called for more information on the president's health.
This prompted the Information Minister to issue another statement on Sunday, saying: "The Federal Government wishes to appreciate the concern that has been raised in the newspapers and some sections of the media over the past few days on the state of health of Mr. President, Alhaji Umaru Musa Yar'Adua.
"The Federal Government wishes to restate here that Mr President is very well and healthy. He is in good health to steer the affairs of the state to bring about better livelihood for the generality of the people of Nigeria. He is expected back in Nigeria soon after his trip to Saudi Arabia where he has gone on lesser hajj.
"We urge all Nigerians to continue to be law-abiding and support this administration to fully realise the development goals of the country."
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