Abuja — The fast crumbling President Umaru Musa Yar'Adua's camp yesterday received further heat as some young professional ministers have resolved to break ranks with the hawks in the Federal Executive Council.

They threatened that the Council meeting on Wednesday would be a day to "resolve or dissolve" as they would insist that power be handed over to Vice President Goodluck Jonathan, as acting president to stem the tide of polarisation and drift in the country.

"This Wednesday is a decision and drama day for us as members of the Federal Executive Council as the young professionals amongst us are battle ready for discussion on the president's future", a minister told some journalists yesterday.

The minister who does not want his name mentioned in print said, "We have tried to be patient, understanding and stupidly loyal by staying the course based on the sensitivity and sensibility of the nation."

"The young and upwardly mobile professionals have vowed that Wednesday (February 10) will be the day to "resolve or dissolve", as we will insist that power be handed over to the vice president to stem the tide of polarisation and drift in the country."

The minister said, this group of ministers had expressed full support to the memorandum by the Minister of Information and Communications, Prof. Dora Akunyili, as well as the call by the Nigeria Governors Forum that power of authority should be transferred to Jonathan saying their "hard earned reputation, character, ethical standing and moral uprightness are being questioned by this conspiracy of silence."

He said that what Akunyili did was courageous though "boorish in approach and self-serving" but most ministers would back her for the good of the nation.

"It is not about the lack of courage or hanging unto the ministerial job that made us subservient, but it is just appropriate to respect and expect leadership from the Peoples Democratic Party's National Executive Council and Board Of Trustees as any disagreement within FEC or National Assembly leadership would make the country prostate", the minister added.

"Each person will stand and be counted and bear his or her father's name. It must be stated that it is no longer a group thing."

The minister said that apart from transferring power to the Vice President, members must be briefed and updated on the situation and developments- relating to the President's health on a weekly basis until the matter are positively resolved.

The cabinet, made up of Yar'Adua's appointees, has twice passed resolutions saying there was no reason for him to hand over to his deputy.

Meanwhile, Governor Isa Yuguda of Bauchi State has said the delay by governors in asking ailing president Yar'Adua to hand over power to his deputy was caused by huge expectation of his colleagues that Yar'Adua would soon return from his medical trip.

The state governors had said on Friday that Vice President Jonathan should become Acting President and urged the National Assembly to pass a resolution to that effect this week.

"We now agree to meet with the leadership of the National Assembly to pass a resolution recognising the Vice President as the acting president," Bukola Saraki, chairman of the governors' forum, had told reporters after a meeting with Jonathan.

"This action we believe is a way to move the nation forward before the president arrives. This we intend to do next week so that the resolution from the National Assembly will also come out next week," he said.

President Umaru Yar'Adua has been in hospital in Saudi Arabia for more than two months and his failure to formally hand over to Jonathan has brought the country to the brink of a constitutional crisis.

"When Mr. President left the country, we thought he was going to be away for one or two weeks; nobody thought he would stay this long", Governor Yuguda told a group of journalists in Abuja weekend.

"Even the president himself never thought he would stay this long; it is not his fault; we cannot and should not question the Almighty God."

Yuguda, the son-in-law to Yar'Adua said the governors should be commended for taking the decision saying, "We have taken the decision; and by God's grace, the matter will be resolved this week."

He urged Nigerians to continue to pray for the President.

Rumours have been prevalent of Yar'Adua's impending return although some medical experts believe he would not be fit enough to govern. He has been receiving treatment for a heart disease since November 23, 2009.

Prominent Nigerians, the Senate, former heads of state, lawmakers, the Nigerian Bar Association and opposition have all called for Jonathan to take over as acting president.