[size=14pt]Turai bars family members, ministers get visas[/size]
By Fidelis Soriwei, Abuja, Published: Saturday, 20 Feb 2010 

Members of the Governors’ Forum and the House of Representatives, the Principal Secretary to the President and leaders of the Peoples Democratic Party were not the only people barred from seeing hospitalised President Umaru Yar‘Adua in Saudi Arabia, Saturday Punch investigations have revealed.

Some members of the Yar‘Adua family were also prevented from seeing their ailing brother at the King Faisal Specialist and Research Hospital, Jeddah by the First Lady, Hajia Turai Yar‘Adua, recently.

Sources close to the family disclosed this to our correspondent on Friday even as the newspaper learnt that the office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation had procured Saudi visas for all the ministers selected to visit Yar’Adua in Jeddah.

President Yar’Adua has been on admission for acute pericarditis at the Arabian hospital since November 23, 2009.

Saturday Punch investigations revealed that Turai allegedly prevented some key members of Yar‘Adua‘s extended family from visiting the ailing President at the hospital recently.

It was learnt that the President’s sisters had bought tickets and were billed to travel to Saudi Arabia to see things for themselves when they were asked to stay back by Turai for reasons she did not disclose.

One of the sisters said to be resident at the Gwarinpa Estate, Abuja, and others who are said to be worried about the health of their sibling were said to have been stunned by the decision of the First Lady, an impeccable source told our correspondent.

According to the source, the only person from the Yar’Adua family who could not be prevented from seeing the number one citizen is a younger brother of the President, a Lt. Colonel in the Army. The source added that the colonel was the only close extended family member that had been to Jeddah to see the President since his illness worsened.

The source added that one of the wives of the late elder brother of the President, Gen. Musa Yar‘Adua, an Ethiopian lady, who had four children for the elder Yar’Adua, was also dissuaded from travelling to see the president.

It was learnt that only three people has access to the President in the Saudi hospital; the Chief security Officer to the President, his Aide de Camp and Turai. It is only these three that have information about President Yar’Adua’s state of health.

Since the illness became protracted, several highly placed Nigerians have made futile efforts to see the President.

For in stance, a delegation of the Governors‘ Forum led by its chairman, Dr. Bukola Saraki, and comprising Gabriel Suswan of Benue State; Ibrahim Shema of Katsina State; Isa Yuguda of Bauchi; and the President‘s Economic Adviser, Dr. Tanimu Yakubu, travelled to Jeddah on November 29 last year, but was not allowed to see the President.

On December 26, 2009, the president‘s Principal Secretary, Mr. David Edevbie, also travelled to Saudi Arabia but was not allowed to see his ailing boss. A delegation of the House of Representatives led by Shehu Agaie (Niger State) and comprising Ali Ndume (Borno), Patrick Ikhariale (Edo State), Moruf Fatai (Lagos State) and Jibril Adamu (Kaduna State) also went to the hospital on February 9 but after waiting for five days without seeing Yar‘Adua, it returned to Nigeria.

And just last week, a delegation of the National Working Committee of the Peoples Democratic Party led by the party‘s National Chairman, Chief Vincent Ogbulafor, also travelled to Jeddahbut was reportedly barred by Turai from seeing the President.

[b]Meanwhile, the six-man delegation raised by the Federal Executive Council on Wednesday to visit the president may depart for Jeddah on Sunday, even though that departure remained uncertain as at Friday.

Reliable sources in Abuja told Saturday Punch that the SGF collected the ministers passports on Thursday, took it to the Saudi Arabia embassy in Abuja and returned it with visas on Friday. He also added that a decision had been taken that the delegation should depart for Saudi Arabia on Sunday. The delegation is expected back on Monday to brief the FEC about its findings next Wednesday. Sunday is a working day in Saudi Arabia, the flight is expected to take about five hours and the delegation may not spend more than an hour at the hospital if things work according to plan.

However, a source was also quick to add that there was uncertainty about the departure date, saying, “Although the ministers now have their visas, the Sunday departure date has not been confirmed or cancelled. So, no one knows if the trip will take place on that day.”

The delegation comprising the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Alhaji Yayale Ahmed; the Ministers of Justice, Adetokunbo Kayode; Agriculture, Abba Ruma; Foreign Affairs, Ojo Maduekwe; Health, Babatunde Osotimehin; and Petroleum, Rilwan Lukman, will also pay a courtesy call on the King of Saudi Arabia.

But the inability of the previous delegations to see Yar’Adua has given rise to concerns that the FEC team may not be allowed to see him at the King Faisal Hospital.[/b]

http://www.punchng.com/Articl.aspx?theartic=Art201002202421614

Ekwerenmadu was on AIT today, saying that issue's like the Yar Adua - Saudi one, can cause nations to go to war.
We must break diplomatic relations with Saudi as a first step, if the ministers are not allowed unfettered access to Yar Adua and his full medical records. The next steps would be to activate necessary action in the NASS and then take the matter to the UN.

Jonathan needs to replace the ambassador to Saudi Arabia immediately, at the very least.

ndu_chucks:

Jonathan needs to replace the ambassador to Saudi Arabia immediately, at the very least.

That is a brilliant suggest, but I think it might be too late.
They've now got their visa's, so they might be off as soon as tomorrow. I believe Jonathan has other plans though, he is most likely giving the most powerful members of the kitchen cabinet a rope to hang themselves with. It is hard to see how they can come out of this glittering with success (a fail, fail situation ).

Jonathan seems incredibly wily and patient, lets hope it doesn't backfire on him (Turai + Ibori is no joke).

Beaf:

That is a brilliant suggest, but I think it might be too late.
They've now got their visa's, so they might be off as soon as tomorrow. I believe Jonathan has other plans though, he is most likely giving the most powerful members of the kitchen cabinet a rope to hang themselves with. It is hard to see how they can come out of this glittering with success (a fail, fail situation ).

Jonathan seems incredibly wily and patient, lets hope it doesn't backfire on him (Turai + Ibori is no joke).

Its not too late at all. He can recall that ambassador with immediate effect, name a replacement, and order the presidential plane to be returned to Nigeria, tommorrow!

^
Interesting!
I didn't realise that. Doesn't he have to clear such appointments with the legislature first? If he doesn't, this will be seen as a judgement call (except there are other angles).

Beaf:

^
Interesting!
I didn't realise that. Doesn't he have to clear such appointments with the legislature first? If he doesn't, this will be seen as a judgement call (except there are other angles).

Jonathan can recalled  Nigeria's Ambassador to Saudi Arabia with immediate effect and direct the Deputy Ambassador (or another career diplomat who Jonathan trusts) to oversee the mission pending the confirmation of  new envoy. The Deputy Ambassador will sit up and produce Yar'Adua or he too will be history.

Another wild goose chase. Turia will only hasten the invocation section 144.

Is Goodluck not part of the criminal gang until last week. He can't learn how to use left hand at old age.

And the drama continues,

I dont think Goodluck was part of the criminal gang. He was just btw the devil and the deep blue sea.
There was nothing he could do as a toothless bulldog. Now that he is Acting president, he has the executive powers to stimulate the process of knowing the state of health of the president. The next few weeks will unravel all the back door hide and seek of Turai.

This is really a mess. Our president is now hostage to Saudi Arabians withe
connivance of his wife. Is there no diplomatic channel of sorting outing this out?

Its a shame, we have really gone ga ga in this country. what is our Security adviser
and the external affairs ministry doing ?

Haba

^
Can you imagine?!
I wish Saudi was a small country like Benin Republic so we could give our army a duty to be proud of.

Is it not time the National Assemble impeach this man so that we can move on as a Nation?  

I just tire, my broda.

going to and fro Saudi arabia will not achieve anything.

the President is in a permanent vegetative state.the honourable thing to do is to impeach him.

but this is Nigeria,where things work in the opposite direction

What is our NAAS doing abt this, what are they still waiting for goodness sake? Is all these not enough to impeach the sick man and her mental ill wife .  A leader who made himself invisible from his own governmentand fellowers  for almost 3months, either sick or alive should get his as.s off the mantle of leadership. I know the selfish beings at the NAAS would never do anything right for jst once for good of the entire nation.

Well done to her, she is only fueling speculations of her husbands condition. I think Nigeria has spent too much time on this issue, and must move on now. We have a nation to build, in time the truth will reveal itself. No need in spending money Nigeria doesnt have on this matter.

Here we go again. . . .
Nigeria's fate is in the "hands of the airspace" between Abuja and Jeddah
The day we cut of jetting to and fro, every other minute from Saudi and Nigeria, is the day we can realistically move on. . .

Pres. jonathan should heed to ekweremadu's ideas. Nigeria really needs a serious diplomatic row against saudi. They don't respect us and have never did. Who knows? some prince or minister in saudi if not the king could be keeping turai busy in btw caring, schedules, and other affairs. Goodluck needs to come out honestly and always speak for the Nigerian people. He should peep game from Obama ideas and actions and simulate them naija style like town-hall meetings (not traditional thiefs aka chiefs show) etc. 
   Saudis are not nigeria's friend they are competitors and should be treated as one. We cannot be longterm mumus ie we both sell oil, then many nigerians pay to go to hajj as pilgrimage etc That should stop.   Nigeria should threaten to recall our ambassadors and if blushed, we recall them and send theirs packing. Then we support africa's sudan in full force major part of foreign policy.
    Only if everybody's salary can be matched to what they tell you. Accountability should matter in naija. Internal security would matter against saudi. We will find friends among other african countries if we lead. There really need to be a stop somewhere in northern africa where the line is drawn against colonial arab expansion scheme while they fight israel for a small street.  saudis is their chief financer and propagandist while Nigeria is a freedom defender african bigbrother.

naijaway:

   Pres. jonathan should heed to ekweremadu's ideas. Nigeria really needs a serious diplomatic row against saudi. They don't respect us and have never did. Who knows? some prince or minister in saudi if not the king could be keeping turai busy in btw caring, schedules, and other affairs. Goodluck needs to come out honestly and always speak for the Nigerian people. He should peep game from Obama ideas and actions and simulate them naija style like town-hall meetings (not traditional thiefs aka chiefs show) etc. 
   Saudis are not nigeria's friend they are competitors and should be treated as one. We cannot be longterm mumus ie we both sell oil, then many nigerians pay to go to hajj as pilgrimage etc That should stop.   Nigeria should threaten to recall our ambassadors and if blushed, we recall them and send theirs packing. Then we support africa's sudan in full force major part of foreign policy.
    Only if everybody's salary can be matched to what they tell you. Internal security would matter against saudi. We will find friends among other african countries if we lead. There really need to be a stop somewhere in northern africa where the line is drawn against colonial arab expansion scheme while they fight israel for a small street.  saudis is their chief financer and propagandist while Nigeria is a freedom defender african bigbrother.

Unecessary venting. We should all call our reps to order and start pushing for impeachment proceedings. Once such procedures are finalised then Yar Adua can stay in Saudi Arabia for as long as he wants; heck he can even marry the King of Saudi Arabia if he wants, that would then become him and Turai's problem. All the venting really is unecessary, I don't know why we always seem to miss the goal post and aim for something else, we seem to misdirect our anger a lot. It is clear the family want him in Saudi Arabia, so grant them their wish and let us all move on with our lives. All the news coverage and threads over this matter is really dodging the issue and taking the onus away from the legislature to act and correct this nonsense. We have indulged the Yar Aduas long enough for crying out loud.

With regards to the Nigeria - Saudi relations; I am yet to see what good has come out from Nigeria - without referendum - being a member of the OIC. Nigeria needs to focus on its own development, I don't even know where Saudi Arabia comes into the equation in that sense. I see China investing in Nigeria, I see South African companies, even India; I am yet to see Saudi Arabia making any inroads in terms of investment; so wetin consain us consain Saudi Arabia?

Skyblue i feel you but nigeria's problems are no more small things. It has sooted to rust and any touch damages it. It is chronic and shameful as it was when it was 40 and you are saying unnecessary venting. My guy is rightful venting complete with some solutions. It is vast internal wickedness, ignorance and pride that is killing naija. We have a long way to go and commonsense issues are being overlooked everyday. oh well.

naijaway:

Skyblue i feel you but nigeria's problems are no more small things. It has sooted to rust and any touch damages it. It is chronic and shameful as it was when it was 40 and you are saying unnecessary venting. My guy is rightful venting complete with some solutions. It is vast internal wickedness, ignorance and pride that is killing naija. We have a long way to go and commonsense issues are being overlooked everyday. oh well.

I call it unecessary venting because I have read such wayyyy too many times and heard such wayyy too many times without it leading to any change in the lethargic approach of the Nigerian followership. I never said you had no right to be frustrated, neither did I say you had no right to vent, I will stand by my own view that such is unecessary when even the people to be mad at and called to order, are being overlooked to go and pick a fight with some faceless abstraction called Saudi Arabia. I don't know why but it seems people have conditioned themselves to seeing things a particular way even when such 'complexities' on closer scrutiny can not always be defended.

I had to listen to some so called interlect in an Aljazeerra video posted in this section of the forum rant about how it was good that the house had empowered Goodluck Johnathan to act as the president and close the vacuum; while overlooking the fact that technically, the legitimacy of his ascension can actually be challenged in court and even cause more problems and more delays. Such reasoning I seem to have low tolerance for, similar to the arguments some people made on this forum when the courts were still deciding on the legitimacy of the presidency of Yar Adua considering the presidential elections. Instead of asking that we for once do something right, you heard such excuses like, 'letting things remain is for the good of the nation", "to keep the peace". It seems we have been conditioned to go through extreme lengths even in eloquence, to defend the wrong way. The house of rep members and senators are in Abuja, so why go all the way to Saudi Arabia and make this about them when we have people who can impeach a man we are paying but haven't heard from in over 80 days? Why? Why choose the unecessarily complicated road? Why?? Why, Why, Why? Is it Saudi Arabia that took Yar Adua there? Is it Saudi Arabia that asked the King to stop Ministers or Government officials from visiting?

@ Naijaway, skyblue is right. I do not see the need for any diplomatic row. After all it might be the families wish to prevent visitors from seeing the president, and there really is nothing we can do about that, but respect the families wishes. However is the family insist on keeping the country in the dark, then the right thing must be done and impeachment proceedings must commence. Let us see what happens when that starts.

I dont see the point in spending so much of our countries money looking for a president that doesnt want to be found.