AS anxiety and confusion persisted in Aso Rock over who presides over Nigeria, the Presidency said, yesterday, that Acting President Goodluck Jonathan will continue to function in the capacity until President Umaru Yar'Adua fully recovered.
As Acting President Goodluck Jonathan, yesterday, asserted himself on the throne when he ordered the immediate postponement of the weekly Federal Executive Council, FEC, meeting.
The Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Mr. Olusegun Adeniyi, said in a statement: "After being discharged by the team of medical experts overseeing his treatment in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, President Umaru Musa Yar'Adua returned to the Presidential Villa, Abuja early this morning (yesterday).
"However, while the President completes his recuperation, Vice President Jonathan will continue to oversee the affairs of state."
While assuring that the health of President Yar'Adua has greatly improved on account of unceasing prayers of Nigerians and by the special grace of God, the statement said "President Yar'Adua is grateful to the Vice President, Dr. Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, for competently overseeing the affairs of state in his absence".
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The statement read: "After being discharged by the team of medical experts overseeing his treatment in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, President Umaru Musa Yar'Adua returned to the Presidential Villa, Abuja early this morning.
SGF, Mallam Yayale Ahmed announces the postponement of the weekly meeting of the Federal Executive Council as the presiding officer did not surface till mid-day at the Aso Chambers, Presidential Villa, Abuja. Photo by Abayomi Adeshida
President Yar'Adua wishes to express his profound gratitude to all Nigerians for their prayers for his recovery, their exceptional generosity of spirit and their appreciation of the fact that all mortals are subject to the vagaries of ill-health.
"President Yar'Adua is grateful to the Vice President, Dr. Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, for competently overseeing the affairs of state in his absence.
"The President also wishes to thank the President of the Senate, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, the entire membership of the National Assembly, the Governors' Forum, and the Judiciary, the Armed Forces and other security agencies, former heads of state and other eminent Nigerians for their roles in maintaining order and stability during his absence.
"President Yar'Adua wishes to re-assure all Nigerians that on account of their unceasing prayers and by the special grace of God, his health has greatly improved. However, while the President completes his recuperation, Vice President Jonathan will continue to oversee the affairs of state."
Jonathan orders postponement of FEC meeting
IN what can best be described as the battle of wits between Acting President Goodluck Jonathan and ailing President Umaru Yar'Adua, Jonathan, yesterday, asserted himself on the throne when he ordered the immediate postponement of the weekly Federal Executive Council, FEC, meeting, to the astonishment of cabinet members.
Unlike in the last few months when Jonathan's security personnel had always provided related services during such meetings, security arrangement suddenly changed when the body guards of ailing President Yar'Adua held sway at the Council Chambers, venue of the meeting.
But even as cabinet members began to arrive for the all important meeting, there were no indication that the Acting President was in any hurry to attend it, as he was not in the office and his security officials were not on duty.
High level uncertainty prevailed when cabinet members who had arrived, as usual, for the 10:00am meeting were kept without a word and a sense of direction for over two hours as they sat quietly without their usual throwing of banters.
As a result, ministers and other presidential aides were seen going into the presidential tea room regularly to help themselves out with cups of tea, as they waited endlessly; just as journalists who had had a sleepless night on Tuesday at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, for the secretive arrival of President Yar'Adua, became anxious.
However, between 11:00 and 11:30 a.m. there was an unannounced departure or redeployment of the security officials from the venue of the meeting as they began to withdraw one after the other, pointing to the fact that the earlier scheduled appearance of Yar'Adua to preside over the FEC, may have given way to another order, as news filtered in that Jonathan was to preside.
The permutation became clearer at noon when the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, SGF, Alhaji Yayale Ahmed and his six-man team, who many thought had not returned to Nigeria from Saudi Arabia; walked to his seat, grabbed the microphone and reeled out a surprise package from Jonathan.
He said: "Ladies and gentlemen, the Acting President has directed that this (FEC) meeting be postponed till further notice. He has asked that you go back to your respective offices. However, there will be a meeting by 2:00 p.m in his conference room. It is mandatory for ministers to attend."
As the ministers dispersed, some of the pro-Jonathan group members who thought "it was a lost battle" were full of smiles, while those not favourably disposed to the Jonathan presidency, appeared unhappy that Jonathan was still in charge.
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his mess was orchestrated by Senator Mark and the whole bunch of them who passed that so called resolution knowing fully well that it would be abused by Ya'Ardua or his aids. We are watching to see how both houses will respond to the present situation. Nigerian are no fools. Everyone knew they were only trying to avoid a military coup by middle-level officers so as to keep their jobs. They may be fooling themselves if they think they have succeeded because the present mess is far worse than when they passed that useless resolution.
I warned everyone to watch out for Ya'Ardua's next moves assuming he actually came back and is well enough. My words "Given his feudalist background, culture of intolerance and impunity he is most likely to act as if the country is his personal property. Lets not forget how he snubbed all the eminent Nigerians who went to see him in Saudi Arabia. He is most likely to disregard the constitution and begin to act like a mad dictator. " Well, this is exactly what we are seeing now.
Yar'Ardua, if he is alive at all may be in coma at best. He may not even be in Nigeria at all. But the Hausa-Fulani jingoists have been spoiling for an opportunity to bare their dirty fangs. When the dust settles, those behind this atrocious acts should be thoroughly dealt with. It is time to clip the wings of these terrorist breeders.
For the rule of law to prevail in this case, he should recognize that the presidency is an institution, not a person. It doesn't matter whether or not Ya'Ardua returns to Nigeria. Absence without official leave (AWOL) especially for such an extended period is an offence serious enough to attract dismissal anywhere in the world. Ya'Ardua SHOULD BE IMPEACHED. Furthermore all those aides and ministers who were involved in the conspiracy in any way should be investigated and, if found guilty thoroughly punished.
EXCISION
It should not be forgotten that the ultimate solution to the intransigence of the Sharia states, to removing the terrorism stigma; to saving thousands of lives perennially slaughtered by Sharia state Muslims and to moving forward and being reckoned as an emerging market along with the CIBS (China, India, Brasil and South Africa) is EXCISION. This is the only way to eradicate the culture of corruption and impunity. That is the only way forward!!!
Greetings from Copenhagen
excisionist(at)gmx.com
Former President Obasanjo destroyed Nigeria in 2007. This man is the most vindictive human being on the face of our earth. The injection of Yar'adua into the national poilitical scene was engineered and executed by Obasanjo out of spite for Atiku. He knew this man was half dead by his terminal sickness, but where naked power ruled, Obasanjo chose this man and rigged the election to satisfy his urge for sadism. Now Yar'adua became President for almost 3 years and he did nothing for the country. Of course, in Nigeria no government (federal, state or local) work for the people while the nation continues to decay. A sensible President who is suffering a terminal disease and intended to seek a way for redemption of his body would inform the Congress, and recommend his V.P. to act as the President until he returns. In Nigeria, the Presidency is looked upon as a personal property and treated as such. The only reason Yar'adua came home was to claim his "private property" back even if he will die the next day. Mark my word, the days of this man are numbered and I will wager my life that this man will not be on this earth by the next Happy New Year Day! One can be a politician and still be very illiterate on the matter of governance. Do I say politicians, in Nigeria they do not have politicians but a group of armed robbers or do we coin a new adjective for them? Excuse me, I mean to say "pen" robbers who are expert in stealing biliions of naira without a single trace of shame. Let us all pray that Yar'adua can be conscious enough to submit his resignation letter as the President. Perhaps then, my respect for him will begin to germinate.
Nigeria is too porouse a country. You can imagine Turai smugling into this country our own president without her imforming the FEC and the Legistlature. This is a big slap on our democracy. I wonder Y few people will be toying with the the life of 150million people. The legistlature must take a bold step to save us from the hand of Jazabel.
Point of order. It is absolutely wrong to address this man as "president". A man who does not respect 'the office', 'the institution' called 'presidency' does not deserve to be president in the first place. It is no secret that his election was a fraud. The whole world knows that. Second of all, going on AWOL without any concern for the state of the nation is completely irresponsible.
Meanwhile everyone should watch out for his next moves. Given his feudalist background, culture of intolerance and impunity he is most likely to act as if the country is his personal property. Lets not forget how he snubbed all the eminent Nigerians who went to see him in Saudi Arabia. He is most likely to disregard the constitution and begin to act like a mad dictator.
For the rule of law to prevail in this case, he should recognize that the presidency is an institution, not a person. It doesn't matter whether or not Ya'Ardua returns to Nigeria. Absence without official leave (AWOL) especially for such an extended period is an offence serious enough to attract dismissal anywhere in the world. Ya'Ardua should be impeached. Furthermore all those aides and ministers who were involved in the conspiracy in any way should be investigated and, if found guilty thoroughly punished.
EXCISION
It should not be forgotten that the ultimate solution to the intransigence of the Sharia states, to removing the terrorism stigma; to saving thousands of lives perennially slaughtered by Sharia state Muslims and to moving forward and being reckoned as an emerging market along with the CIBS (China, India, Brasil and South Africa) is EXCISION. This is the only way to eradicate the culture of corruption and impunity. That is the only way forward!!!
Greetings from Copenhagen
excisionist(at)gmx.com