President Umaru Yar'adua's mother, Hajiya Dada, and members of the first family were in Abuja yesterday to visit the ailing President for the first time since his return to the country last week.

Our correspondent who monitored the situation in Katsina reports that the President's mother left Katsina airport yesterday evening aboard a presidential aircraft no 5N-FGO in company of five other family members.

Her departure came barely three hours after some members of the first family, including first lady Hajiya Turai's immediate junior brother and two nieces of the President, also left for Abuja aboard a commercial flight, Arik.

Our correspondent reports that a Presidential aircraft landed at Katsina airport at 4:00pm and at around 4:30pm, three personal cars from the family house arrived with the luggage and other personal belongings of the President's mother, before her own arrival at the airport at 5:05pm.

She was brought into the airport by two dark blue saloon 407 and 406 vehicles along with her escorts, and she immediately boarded the waiting aircraft that started taxiing at 5:13pm before its final take off at 5:15pm.

Earlier at around 2:00pm, a commercial airline left Katsina for Abuja with members of the first family and associates of the President including some aged women, Turai's brother and former Yar'adua chief of staff Alhaji Muntari Maimaje, his cousin Bala, Yar'adua's niece Fatima, his erstwhile SSG Dr Mustapha Inuwa and Dutsinma local government council chairman, Bashir Tanimu Gambo.

A source close to the family said Yar'adua's mother will stay in Abuja for a while, whereas the rest of the family members will only visit the ailing family member and are expected back in Katsina anytime soon. He said already, some of the family members have paid similar visits to the President in the Villa, and they said he is recuperating well.

Yar'adua's cousin, ex-legislator and chairman of the Katsina Peoples Congress Alhaji Zubairu Ali Gafai granted an interview to Aljazeera television yesterday, where he said he had seen the President and even shared a cup of tea with him.

However when this reporter visited his residence at Gafai quarters, Zubairu was said to have travelled to Niger Republic and all efforts to reach him of his phone was unsuccessful.

Also on Tuesday another Presidential aircraft landed in Katsina airport to convey the Governor of Katsina state Ibrahim Shema and the President's close associate Alhaji Dahiru Barau Mangal to Abuja. They were said to have seen the President on Tuesday night.

Meanwhile, Saudi Arabian authorities were quoted yesterday to have said that Yaradua's health has improved. The Saudi authorities' testimony was contained in the report presented to the Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting yesterday by the six-man delegation earlier sent by the Federal Government to Saudi Arabia to see Yar'adua while he was there.

"The Foreign Minister, His Highness Prince Saud Al-Faisal received us on behalf of the Saudi King and re-affirmed the commitment of the Saudi Government to promoting good relationship with Nigeria. He also assured the delegation that the health of President Yar'adua was improving", the delegation's report said.

The delegation comprised Secretary to the Government of the Federation Alhaji Mahmud Yayale Ahmed, Chief Ojo Maduekwe, Dr. Rilwanu Lukman, Prince Adetokunbo Kayode, Prof. Babatunde Osotimehin and Dr. Abba Sayyadi Ruma.

Briefing newsmen after the FEC meeting presided over by Acting President Goodluck Jonathan, Minister of Information and Communications Prof. Dora Akunyili said the six-man team which was unable to see Yar'adua in Saudi, conveyed the appreciation of the Nigerian government to the Saudi Monarch "for the care and support given to our President."

"Preparatory to this visit, the acting president had addressed a letter to the Royal Majesty, King Abdullah Bin Abdul-Aziz Al Saud of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, introducing the delegation as a special envoy from the presidency. In the letter, the acting president conveyed the profound appreciation and deep gratitude of the government and the entire people of Nigeria to the king, for the kindness, hospitality, fraternal care and excellent facilities extended to President Umaru Musa Yar'adua."

Akunyili said on their arrival in at the Riyadh Airport at about 10 pm, Saudi time on Tuesday 23rd February, the Nigerian Ambassador to that country, Alhaji Abdullahi Aminchi informed members of the delegation that he had received information that President Yar'adua had been discharged and was on his way back to Abuja.

"With news that the President had left Saudi Arabia for Nigeria, the delegation did not consider it necessary to proceed to Jeddah, where the President was hospitalized. Accordingly, they decided to return to Nigeria. The delegation departed Riyadh at about 5.30am on Wednesday 24th February 2010 and arrived Abuja at about 10.30 am. The Acting President was accordingly briefed on their return", she stated.

Akunyili also said the council approved N21.8 billion for the reconstruction of 35.14 kilometres Owerri-Elele Road linking Imo and River States. She said the road project is part of the post amnesty intervention programme of the Federal Government, saying it would boost employment opportunities, curb youth restiveness and generate wealth through increased socio-economic activities in the Niger Delta region. The contract was awarded to Messrs Arab Contractors Nig. Limited with the completion period of 300 months while the consultancy services was awarded to Messrs Cypress Konsult Ltd.

The Council also approved N1.4 billion for the rehabilitation of 15 kilometre Dengi-Jarmai road in Plateau State. The information minister said the contract was awarded under the ecological fund to Messrs Rockbridge Construction Limited with completion period of nine months.

The council also awarded a N236.9 million contract for consultancy services on Obiafu/Obrikon-Oben gas pipeline project to Messrs PetroGas Development Company with three months completion period.

The Minister of State for Petroleum, Mr. Odein Ajumogobia said the pipeline project, when completed would be useful in moving gas from the Eastern region to the western region of the country. Ajumogobia said the project would solve the problem of gas shortage for power generation.