Any moment from now, President Umaru Yar'Adua shall be travelling to Saudi Arabia again. He recently returned from the country where he had gone for medical check-up and allegedly performed Umrah, the lesser Hajj.
This is coming on the heel of the revelation that the president will not be attending this year's United Nations General Assembly starting tomorrow and has also cancelled scheduled meetings with the UN Secretary-General, Mr. Ban Ki-Moon, and US President Barack Obama.
He will now be represented at the UN by the Foreign Affairs Minister, Chief Ojo Maduekwe, who will only speak after presidents and heads of government have addressed the General Assembly.
The purpose of the current trip to Saudi Arabia is still unknown as there has not been any official statement. A government source close to the president said it could be a state visit, adding, "But it is curious that a state visit will be so shrouded in secrecy. And besides, it doesn't make diplomatic sense to cancel one top state function at the UN at the last minute and replace it with another."
The last time Yar'Adua travelled to Saudi Arabia, it was a well-publicised event as it should be for a sitting president.
There are, however, strong indications that Maduekwe will not be allowed to take part in tomorrow's meeting between President Obama and heads of state from Africa.
A reliable source within the US Department of State told Leadership correspondent in New York that the meeting had been scheduled for only the African presidents, adding that the hierarchy within the system would not allow the minister to attend such crucial meeting.
However, a diplomat the Nigeria Mission to the UN told Leadership yesterday that Maduekwe would attend the meeting with Obama.
He disclosed that as at Friday, the Nigerian Mission was yet to receive confirmation of Maduekwe's attendance from the US Department of State in Washington.
"When we got the form on Friday, September 18, 2009, we filled the names of the Minister and his wife, Mrs Ucha Maduekwe, as the ones representing President Yar'Adua and his wife at the meeting, and that serves as a confirmation that they both will be allowed to meet with President Obama alongside other African heads of state.
"We also returned the confirmation forms back to the United States Mission on that same Friday, though. We are yet to get a new confirmation from the Department of State through the US Mission to the United Nations."
The Nigerian diplomat, who pleaded anonymity, revealed that the United States Permanent Representative and President of the UN Security Council, Ambassador Susan Rice, had confirmed, in a meeting at the end of last week, that Nigeria's foreign affairs minister would be allowed at the meeting.
"She told us that since President Yar'Adua is not available for the meeting, then the Foreign Affairs Minister, Ojo Maduekwe, who is the head of Nigerian delegation, automatically stands in for the president and he will attend the meeting with President Obama," the diplomat hinted.
A source at US Department of State said the government was not happy over the common attitude of Nigerian leaders, who turn down this kind of invitation at the last minute without any tangible reason.
"We are still in shock that President Yar'Adua, who has a vital role to play, will not attend the meeting. Investigation is in progress to know the reason behind his 'unjust' action," he hinted.
The source, a senior official in the Department of State, further revealed that Yar'Adua's absence from the African heads of state's meeting with Obama could jeopardise Nigeria's election for a seat on the UN Security Council.
It was gathered that Nigeria has commenced an impressive campaign to clinch a non-permanent slot on the UN Security Council between 2010 and 2011.
A source close to the Nigeria Mission to the UN told Leadership that President Yar'Adua had been expected to discuss Ambassador Joy Ogwu's chance of clinching the seat in an election slated for October 15 with other African heads of state as it appears that Nigeria still needs almost 128 votes to get the seat in spite of the country's endorsement by other African countries.
In a related development yesterday, the Attorney-General of the Federation, Mr. Michael Aondoakaa, refuted media reports that his office was blocking the request of the London Metropolitan Police to send witnesses to London in the money laundering case involving the president's Principal Private Secretary, Mr. David Edevbie.
Speaking to LEADERSHIP yesterday from London, Aondoakaa, who was upset that such an act should even be attributed to him, said he had not seen the request from the London Metropolitan Police, but said he would act on it with despatch whenever he saw it.
LEADERSHIP checks showed that the request might still have been with the EFCC and has indeed not got to the AGF's desk.
By Emmanuel Iffer and Mojeed Jamiu in Lagos and Abiodun Oluwarotimi in New York
Comments 1 to 5 of 7 Post a comment
I like the independence of this guy, he doesnt give a hoot about courting the West like Obasanjo did, shamelessly, and in the process, the West walk all over him, as we observed in the paying off the national debt and giving up the Bakassi region to Cameroon to promote peace in the region, among other goodies what kudos did OBJ get for been such a "good boy" but disrespect. If it were YarAdua, none of those things would have occurred and nobody would dare touch him I guess being a bad-boy is what it takes to earn respect around here, like Gaddaffi. Ride on, President YarAdua.
@ Kaparah, I sorry for you. Are you really that much of an illiterate that you do not know the import of such high powered meetings at the U.N. Should you really not know, and I will make it as simple as possible for you, this is where decisions that concern the whole earth are taken. And if you are not there, you certainly wont count.
Where other countries do the right thing and send their head of state, we send a common foreign minister. Nigeria is being run by a part time president and the results are evident for all to see in the nation. Is the man well enough to be up to the job? Are we being held back for the sake of one mans selfishness?
@ Kapara, do not compare OBJ (Mr wuru wuru) or Emperor Yar (almost with us) to Colonel Gadaffi at all. In all of Africa the average Libyan is the most unlikely person to want to emigrate from his country. They are mostly content and happy in their country because corruption, inefficiency, ineptitude, and pure stupidity have almost been banished within.
Tell me, is it because OBJ courted the west (unsuccessfully, I may add) that he spent over N1.3 Trillion naira (over $10 Billion) on energy and failed woefully? 'We still no get light'. What of Emperor Yar and his promised but aborted declaration of an energy state of emergency six months into his presidency if power generation does not improve? Now we have the seven point agenda. Seven more ways to fail!
Bravo! Kingsley, I was hoping that a literate person like you would get the import of my sarcasm. Obviously, the joke is lost on you what I was trying to convey is that if you cannot beat them, join them, because I am sick and tired of shouting over the fence from here imploring our folks to get rid (revolt) of mediocrity that define Nigerias government since independence, yet we continue to Sidon & look. If a literate person like Kingsley cannot discern the difference between OBJs administration and this one, then what is the point of clamoring for change? Even if change bites you on the nose, you still will not know what to keep and what to discard as we did the so-called Third Term Agenda in favor of the dummy the West sold you. Am sure Kaddafi is baffled by Nigerians logic as he is celebrating his 40-year reign by beheading a few Nigerian immigrants as the main course of his party and what is the West going to do about it whereas Nigerians must obey the masters of the universe like you opined. Let us just give a round of applause to our thieving, callous leaders, past and present. You know what? I wish I were an illiterate that you called me, perhaps I would not be getting this heartburn every time I read Nigerias latest shocker. Our peoples, leaders and the followers, alike, deserve one another. Ignorance can be blissful, you know, so I've decided to join the know-nots to feel like the happiest people on earth about our perpetual darkness that is all we know, anyway.
One is sure that Mr. President Yar'Adua that is, do not understand really his constitutional duties as the President of Nigeria per other Presidents of other Nations.One , it is his duty to tell the Nation about the state of his health and why he is travelling to Saudi Arabia again as he just came back from there few days ago. Since the Nigerian people are paying for all these excessive travellings, by the President in some cases in secrecy,he has the responsibility to explain in plain language what is going on and why he refers Saudi Arabia to the U.N. gathering of Presidents,Prime Ministers and other Heads of States.It looks like he is chicking out.However,if the President is ill and needs medical attention he can easily transfer power temporarily to the Vice -President which is constitutional as prescribed by the 1999 Nigerian Constitution.You can only be a good president if you respect the constitution of your Nation.Mr. President,this is a new day, the constitution is the most important document no matter what you are,you can not violate it. Finally,Nigerians must hold you accountable to the consitution and there should be no reason or excuse for you or anybody whatsoever not to uphold the constitution.Nigerians can no longer afford to standby and watch you and the members of your administration violate the constitution with impunity anymore than you have done already. Note,for Mr.Kaparah, your comment on this matter,need not be dignified.It is myopic, it shows how low and backward you have become.May God give us the wisdom and political will to elect good Government and not corrupt, dishonest,lazy,sickening, parasites oligarchs these we pray Amen.
Yar'Adua, you and your cronies in Nigeria are on Notice by the Obama administartion. Shape up, and STOP DISGRACING the Black Race everywhere. Yes, finally a TRUE AFRICAN SON has position of power and is putting all the IDIOTS in the Motherland on notice. Barack H Obama, Africa loves you, and we are proud of you as our own son. God bless you and bless America for giving you the benefit of doubt to show that it is not all in the Genes.
See All Comments