Abuja — Twenty-four hours after ailing President Umaru Musa Yar'Adua returned to the country, he remains a ghost - unseen and unheard by anyone including Acting President Goodluck Jonathan.
The "criminal secrecy" shrouding Yar'Adua's return has spurned two classes of rumour peddlers. The first group described his purported return as a decoy to fool Nigerians, insisting that Yar'Adua was still in Saudi Arabia.
However, the second group claiming to be more informed said that the president had not been evacuated from the ambulance that picked him up from the airport yesterday.
LEADERSHIP reliably gathered last night that some life support equipment procured through Julius Berger Nigeria Plc - originally installed in Katsina State had been dismantled and was being installed in House 7 in the Presidential Villa.
Meanwhile, there was a near security breach yesterday at the presidential villa as armed security operatives, allegedly acting on the directive of Hajiya Turai, wife of ailing Yar'Adua, barred Jonathan from seeing her husband.
The stake heightened a few minutes later when Jonathan cancelled the Executive Council of the Federation (EXCOF) meeting fixed for 10am to avoid being humiliated by the Chief Security Officer (CSO) to the President, Mr. Yusufu Tilde.
These events happened as Yar'Adua's Special Adviser (Communications), Mr. Segun Adeniyi said yesterday that "Vice-President" Jonathan would continue to oversee the affairs of the nation pending full recovery of Yar'Adua.
LEADERSHIP gathered last night that Jonathan was "hugely embarrassed" when some stern looking security men prevented him yesterday from seeing his boss.
"The acting president made serious effort to see his boss yesterday even though he was kept in the dark over his return in the early hours of yesterday, but some security men prevented him," a senior presidential aide stated.
"There were also plans to humiliate the acting president during the council session whenever he comes to take the seat of the president, which he had started occupying in an acting capacity about two weeks ago.
"Jonathan got security report before the commencement of the council meeting that the president's CSO had directed security men to stop him from sitting on the chair with the coat of arms. To avoid humiliation, Jonathan had to cancel the council meeting."
Yar'Adua's security men had earlier taken charge at the chambers - venue of the council meeting with instruction to stop Jonathan from presiding over the meeting.
All the ministers had gathered for the weekly meeting as usual when the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Alhaji Ahmed Yayale, walked into the council chambers at exactly 12:18 pm and announced that he was directed by Jonathan to cancel the meeting and summon all the ministers to a mandatory meeting in his conference room at 2:00pm.
Before the ministers assembled for the meeting, the atmosphere at the council chambers was charged as anxiety and uncertainty enveloped the chambers as the ministers were not sure who would preside over the day's meeting. They waited till 9:00am when most of them arrived without any information. Few hours later, Alhaji Yayale strolled into the chambers.
"Ladies and gentlemen, I want to inform you that the Acting President, Dr Goodluck Jonathan, has cancelled today's meeting. He has directed that all ministers should attend a special meeting in his conference room by 2:00pm.The meeting is mandatory, it is mandatory to all the ministers. Even after passing his message, the SGF still kept emphasising and reminding the ministers of the rescheduled meeting," Yayale told the ministers.
Even though no reason was given by an elated Yayale for the cancelation of the meeting, our correspondent gathered reliably that it was not unconnected with the politics of power play which had recently rocked and divided the cabinet over the health issue of the president, and also in an attempt to halt the excesses of a cabal which had dominated governance in the absence of the ailing president.
The acting president's directive to the ministers to come over to his office for a mandatory meeting, sent jitters in the ministers, who were all astonished.
When the ministers reconvened for the meeting at the acting president's office at 2:00pm,all the ministers who were present at the council chambers attended the brief session which lasted less than 15 minutes.
Briefing State House correspondents after the meeting, the Minister of Information and Communications, Prof Dora Akunyili said, "He invited us for a meeting in his meeting room at 2pm and when we came he told us that the president has returned, that he has been briefed by the aides of Yar'Adua and that he hopes to see the wife of the president this evening (yesterday) and that when we meet next week, we will be briefed on the outcome of the Saudi Arabia trip by the members of council. And that when he is eventually briefed by our president he will call us again."
Our correspondent also gathered that apart from a few persons close to the president, the acting president and others were yet to set their eyes on the president.
Meanwhile, Yar'Adua has asked Jonathan to continue in office pending his full recovery. The president who returned from Saudi Arabia in the early hours of yesterday, commended his deputy for his loyalty and steadfastness in moving the nation forward in his absence.
A statement by his special adviser on communications said Yar'Adua had been discharged by medical experts overseeing his treatment in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
"'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," Mr. Adeniyi said in a press statement.
"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, 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'.
"While thanking Nigerians for their ceaseless prayers and concern over his health, President Yar'Adua re-assured all 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."
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I am personally miffed by the preponderance and the audacity by which the First Lady appears to meddle with the affairs of the State. It is only in Nigeria that such a thing could take place. Worst still, it is quite abhorrent to observe that the President's Security details would dissuade the Acting President from holding a regularly schedulled Executive Council meeting because the Acting President was positioned to sit on the President's Chair. What sort of a country has Nigeria become, to the extent that an unelected "House Wife" would debar the country's Sworn Acting President from holding meetings pertaining to the welfare of the State? And why has the National Assembly condoned these insults? Is this a democracy or is Nigeria the personal property of Mr. Umaru Yar Adua? Why would an unelected Security detail forbid members of the cabinet from holding a meeting?
I might add that the Acting President in his capacity, has the authority to summarily dismiss any and all the security details who forbade him from conducting the affairs of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. No one individual, or a collection therefrom, has the capacity or the legal or constitutional backing to stop the affairs of the State from being conducted because they harbour ill-feelings towards someone. The conducts of the security details are beyond apology, and I would urge the Executive Council to take a decisive action to ensure that these events never occur again.
Additionally, Aso Rock is NOT a place for the president to recuperate. This is the seat of the nation, and it must not serve an environment for convalescing. To allow this to happen would set a terrible precedent for future office holders in that capacity. Are Nigerian lawmakers afraid to exercise their legitimate authorities and to weigh in on thie mess? What price freedom? Why would a sick president be sent back to the nation's seat of power if his health status is questionable?
As we have mirrorwed our system according to the American System, there is a Camp David in Maryland where an ailing president could go and get a proper care and an R&R. On no account should issues beclouding the president's health be allowed to shroud the discussions pertaining to the smooth running of the country. If this is how the PDP wants to retain power in the country, I would daresay they have lost my vote. They have allowed their flag bearer to not only insult their integrity, but also insult the entire nation by the kind of charades that took place. It would appear to me that they are not politically mature. For in politics, you have to depersonalize things that occur on a daily basis. To take it personally, is to cause to increase the kinds of health problems which the president is currently suffering. And for Mrs. Yar Adua to personally insult the Acting President, it would appear that she has been taking advise from people who know very little about how a democracy functions.
What is presently happening in Nigeria is to deplorable that everybody needs to take a deep breath, reflect on the events of the last 24-hours and understand that in our system of democracy, if the president is unable to discharge his Sworn duties properly, the duty of the Vice-President or the Acting President in this case, is to step in and ensure that the Nigerian nation has someone accountable to run the affairs of the State. In the absence of the Vice-President, the Speaker of the House takes charge of the affairs of the State, and NOT Mrs. Yar Adua, or the president's security details. These are constitutionally designated responsibilities of which, no wife, concubines, mistresses, girlfriends, security details or area boys must interfere with. In the constitution, there is a profound degree of orderliness as to how the affairs of the State could be conducted, under trying circumstances. In it, there are no rooms for thuggery, or a display of the kinds of behaviour which these ill-informed and short-fused elements displayed, to the degree that the Acting President had to scour for a place for the nation's business to be conducted.
I hope other Nigerians are as miffed as I am, because this is an affront to everyone who understands how a democracy works. I do remember the late Chief Obafami Awolowo once saying the "he is once beaten, and twice shy". Unfortunately, these occurences have taken a life of its own, and the drama taking place at the National Assembly simply means that in this experimental democracy, our lawmakers have not quite found their foothold on what it is true democratic principles and how the application of these principles should play out itself in our Nigerian system. In other words, we are still trying to define and structure our own system of democracy. Whatever system we choose to adopt, it is important here to attempt to redefine democracy in the context of what it is. To paraphrase Abraham Lincoln, "it is a government of the people, run by the people, and for the people". There is nowhere in this definition that Lincoln defined democracy as a "government run by the wife of an ailing president, dictated by his security details at the behest of the wishes of an ailing president".
Those who have decided to convert Aso Rock into a convalescent home must realize that Nigeria is NOT a personal property of any ruling president. The Nigerian Congress or the National Assembly in this case decides what happens in this particular instance. The ailing president shouldn't have been returned to Aso Rock unless he was prepared to take on the full responsibility of running the country. I would dare anyone to argue on the contrary. Aso Rock should not be converted into a mini hospital. It is an environment where foreign dignitaries are received, and where the affairs of the Nigerian people totalling 150-Million are conducted. I do hope that those who have advocated for converting this place into a place for the PDP to run their political campaign should realize that "our house" is not a place for plotting how to defeat opposing political parties. That is why you have your party HQs. I personally wish the president a fast recovery, but such exercise must not take place within Aso Rock.
This 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
Many people have been blaming Turai for all this mess. But, quite frankly what are her choices? When Obj recruited them to the presidential campaign, both he and Turai understood that Turai will provide support for her husband as he was constantly in and out of organ support! The real affront in this action of Turai and Tilide (CSO), and the presidential guards is on the NASS. The NASS made Goodluck acting president. NO doubt Yar'Adua still remains incapacitated, possibly awaiting death at any time! Let's see if the NASS will arise to their civil duty by IMPEACHING this invalid president! If they fail to do so and he dies in the midst of this confusion, then I am afraid it is GoodBye Nigeria!