Abuja — Vice President Goodluck Jonathan yesterday assured Nigerians that President Umar Yar'Adua who is currently receiving treatment at the King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Centre, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia for a heart condition, is doing fine and responding well to treatment.

In a letter from the president's chief physician, Dr Salisu Banye, presidential spokesman, Segun Adeniyi, Thursday disclosed that Yar'Adua had been hospitalised for acute pericarditis, an inflammation of the membrane surrounding the heart which can restrict normal beating of the heart.

Jonathan who said he had been in touch with the president, since he left the country on Monday expressed Yar'Adua's appreciation to Nigerians in particular and the Muslim community in general for their consistent prayers for his wellbeing.

Receiving a Muslim delegation which visited him at his Akinola Aguda residence, State House Abuja, as part of the traditional Sallah homage usually paid to the president, Jonathan said those he described as "mischievous characters" have been spreading false rumours about the health of the president.

Jonathan said: "This morning, I personally conveyed Mr. President's personal greetings. We spoke yesterday and even this morning. After this, I will even speak with him again. He asked me to convey his personal greetings to all Nigerians.

"There are some rumours about some stories, but let me assure Nigerians that the president is okay. We spoke before he left this country and we have been speaking ever since.

"So, discountenance any form of false rumours being spread by mischievous characters in this country."

Jonathan said that the president is healthy and thanked the Islamic leaders for their prayers for the president.

He said further: "Today, we are reliving the sacrifice that Prophet Ibrahim made. It is a challenge to us all.

"It is an opportunity for us to call on all Nigerians to emulate our leader and what Prophet Ibrahim did because without that sacrifice, we would not have been here. Even as individuals from childhood to adulthood, you will be required to make sacrifices.

"We call on all Nigerians, especially those of us in government to reflect on this and to shun temptations just like Prophet Ibrahim and his kinsmen did. This special ceremony reflects what happened in those days."

Led by the Secretary to the Government of the Fede-ration, Mallam Yayale Ahmed, the delegation included the Chief Justice of the Federation, Justice Idris Kutigi; Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Abdulrahaman Dam-bazau; Interior Minister, Dr. Shetima Mustapha; and Deputy Imam of the Abuja Central Mosque, Abdulsalam Mohammed who offered the prayers, amongst others.

Following severe pain felt around the left side of his chest region last week Friday, the president departed the country for Saudi Arabia on Monday, where he was ostensibly reported to have gone for a medical check up and to perform the Hajj.

His departure, however, fuelled speculation over the real nature of his ailment, which only got worse by Wednesday when rumours circulated that he had either slipped into a coma or died.

In order to dispel the rumours, the presidency, Thursday took the unprecedented step of disclosing the real nature of the president's ailment.

In his letter, Dr Banye, the president's chief physician said the president was responding positively to treatment at the King Faisal Specialist Hospital.

He added that the president is expected to recover soon and return to the country, but no specific day has been fixed.