Abuja — Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) yesterday in Abuja added to the growing calls for the resignation of President Umaru Yar'Adua over his ill-health.

President of the NBA, Mr.Rotimi Akeredolu, who was represented by the body's vice president, Ikeazor Akaraiwe, made the call at the valedictory session held for the outgone President of the Court of Appeal, Justice Umaru Abdullahi.

"We view the health of President Yar'Adua as a very serious one and we condemn all those who chose to play politics with all things concerning his health, NBA joins other Nigerians to pray for the speedy recovery of the President of Nigeria, and we certainly declare that his ill-health is nobody's fault, certainly also, not the fault of the President, and we shall continue to pray for his speedy recovery.

"However, it is far more important for the President to recover and carry out his duties because the nation cannot afford to be led by the whims of the rumour industry which appears to be a cheap industry in Nigeria of today," he said.

While calling on the President to resign as a sign of patriotism, Akaraiwe maintained that "it is the position of the NBA President that if the President is found to be incapable of discharging the functions of his office, it is a patriotic duty as an end to resign," saying " this will bring about glory and honour to the President of Nigeria and his past."

But the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of the Federation,Mr. Mike Aondoakaa (SAN), said the statement made the NBA President is not the position of the NBA as there was never a time the National Executive Committee (NEC of NBA met to decide on the issue.

"The speech by the NBA President as regards Mr President's health is not the position of the bar.

The government is not bothered about the speech because we guarantee freedom of expression. I'm a member of the NBA and NEC, the statement attributed to NBA cannot be, because at no time did the NBA meet at NEC level to take a decision to warrant the statement made by the NBA. That statement in the correct perspective is a statement which is a personal opinion of the President of NBA, Mr Akeredolu."

Aondoakaa said the "position of government and the Federal Executive Council which gives the body vested by the constitution in section 144 that will commence the process is clear: that the President has been capable in carrying out his duties, and we have made it clear that the constitution did not make the provision that somebody should be a super human to be the president.

"There has been a precedence where a certain President was hospitalised for two months plus, President Babangida went for treatment in Paris and nothing happened," he said.

We should not allow somebody's ill-health to become a problem."

He also accused some politicians of rumour mongering as a ploy ahead of 2011 elections. "People are trying to heat up this issue of ill-health in preparatory to 2011, the Federal Executive Council has taken its position, that is the only body vested with responsibility of starting the process of removing the President or the Vice President," he said.

On the current health situation of the President, the AG said "the President's health status has always been given by the president's physician through his chief spokesman, Mr Segun Adeniyi, and you will continue to hear from him. That is why government took a decision based on facts that there is no basis, the fact available is, he is responding to treatment."