http://www.nationaldailyngr.com/cover.htmTHESE are no pleasant times for President Umaru Musa Yar'Adua. The reality of literary icon William Shakespeare's aphorism: “ambition should be made of sterner stuff” is now staring at his face even as his beloved wife Hajia Turai Umaru Yar'Adua complains pathetically to family members and associates that her husband needed thorough medical examination so as to withstand the rigours of electioneering campaign—If he eventually seeks for second term in office during the 2011 Presidential election.
Though, it is still two years to the commencement of a new transition programme, Yar'Adua is said to have made up his mind to run for a second term in office following persistent persuasion by Turai, other family members and associates.
When it became obvious that the president was vacillating on the issue of second tenure, Turai, sources disclosed, drafted her own children and offsprings of former Chief of Staff, Supreme Headquarters under General Olusegun Obasanjo's military regime, Late General Shehu Musa Yar'Adua, to convince him to have a re-think on the matter.
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Turai was livid with anger when her husband indicated that he was not interested in being in office for more than four years because of his poor health. He wanted to emulate the example of former South African President, Nelson Mandela who voluntarily relinquished power after first term in office,” our presidency sources said.
Informed sources disclosed that apart from seeking the support of her children and husband's elder brother's children, Turai traveled to Katsina State to persuade Yar'Adua's mother, Hajia Dada habib Yar’Adua to intervene in the matter and convince her son to drop his “strange” decision not to seek second term in office.
The old woman was said to have obliged Turai and talked about the second term matter with her son, Umaru, when she had the opportunity. Sources said she admonished her son that an individual's life is in the hand of Allah and only Allah can take it away. “You have been given a divine responsibility to do good for Nigeria people, don't disappoint Allah,” the old woman was said to have told Mr. President. Meanwhile, Turai continued to pressurize her husband who was oscillating on the subject of openly declaring his intention to run for a second term in 2011.
Sources said she applied all sorts of manipulative skills and strategies to mow Yar'Adua's seemingly insurmountable resistance. “Turai was desperate to get the second tenure project back on course. She assured most of her husband's confidants and highly placed party members that her husband will eventually succumb to her wishes” sources said.
National Daily gathered from sources close to Turai,” that she also discussed the second term agenda with one Yar'Adua's relative who is a senior staff of Nigeria National Petroleum Company (NNPC) allegedly persuaded him to use his biological relationship as bases to cajole her husband to make a firm commitment on the second term agenda.
Sources advanced reasons why Turai and members of Yar'Adua's family are desperate to ensure that the President declares his stand on the 2011 presidential election.
“The emergence of Umaru Yar'Adua as Nigeria's president in 2007 has further elevated the family to a higher pedestal and cemented the name of Yar'Adua in the history of Nigeria.
It has opened very enabling and profitable opportunities for anyone who bears the name Yar'Adua, not just the President's nuclear family and that of his late elder brother, Shehu, but all Yar'Aduas. Moreover, you know that power has irresistible allure, it is an aphrodisiac.” An inside source said, adding:
“Generally for the Yar'Adua family, Umaru's ascension to the presidency is compensation for the death of late General Shehu Yar'Adua. Umaru himself was availed the opportunity of rising to the highest level of his political career.
For Turai, she has joined the glamorous club of Nigeria's first ladies with the garnishing privileges. Shehu Yar'Adua's offsprings and allies are now into one multi billion naira lucrative business or the other, so, Umaru's presidency has really paid off.”National Daily learned that President Yar'Adua was himself seriously concerned about his health recently when he started manifesting severe symptoms. He, according to inside sources, requested for a physician in Aso Rock Clinic who examined him and after initial treatment recommended that he goes to a hospital overseas for more effective treatment.
A testimony to the increasing health challenge of Mr. President is the fact that he now looks more emaciated.
“He suddenly started talking in inaudible tone although he was never loud in his speeches before. He was also finding it difficult to walk a long distance,” an inside source said.
National Daily sources said that Yar'Adua's ailment made him resume late in office and leave the office within three to five hours of arrival. He allowed the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Alhaji Mahmud Yayale Ahmed and his Chief Economic Adviser, Alhaji Tanimu Yakubu to treat most of the official files that demanded the President's personal attention. Most of his visitors were either directed to Vice President Goodluck Jonathan or his wife Turai who is very influential in managing the affairs of the presidency.
Sources said Turai became increasingly worried over the health condition of her husband when he did not regain the level of his usual fitness and had to depend on several hours of medical attention from specialist doctors in the Aso Rock Villa before he was recently recommended for oversea medical treatment in Saudi Arabia.
Turai, apart from concerns over the health of her husband, was equally apprehensive that the health problem may torpedo his re-elections plans if he did not fully regain the required energy to criss-cross the fields of 36 states of Nigeria including the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, to campaign for votes.
National Daily sources said President Yar'Adua's physicians actually recommended that Yar'Adua be flown to Germany for treatment in the hospital where he was usually attended to. But he rather chose a hospital in Saudi Arabia contrary to Aso Rock Clinic physicians preference.
Yar'Adua's choice of Saudi Arabia is to enable him use the opportunity to perform his Umra (lesser hajj) and afterwards check into the hospital for the vital medical treatment.
“Yar'Adua would have loved to see his physicians in Germany but you know as a good Moslem the Umra (lesser Hajj) is important to him.
“Though Aso Rock doctors advised him to go to Germany, he decided to have the treatment in Saudi Arabia” a knowledgeable source said.
Yar'Adua eventually traveled to Saudi Arabia last week Friday for a scheduled medical check-up.
"In the course of his stay in Saudi Arabia, the president will also perform the lesser Hajj (Umra)," Special Adviser to the President on Media Affairs, Segun Adeniyi, said, adding that the President was expected to be away for one week. But National Daily Intelligence at the weekend revealed that contrary to the much publicised return after one week President Yar’Adua is still being attended to by doctors in the Saudi hospital. There was however, no official explanation to the delay in Mr. President’s return to the country.
Sources disclosed that the surprise public announcement of Yar'Adua's treatment by Mr. Adeniyi followed a series of foreign medical trips that were concealed from the public and exclusively exposed by Saharareporters, a citizen journalism website.
In July, it was reported that President Yar'Adua secretly visited a hospital in Rome while attending the G8 meeting. That revelation of his hidden medical sojourn led him to return home.
Yar'Adua's health challenges resurfaced during his recent state visit to Brazil where he suffered serious symptoms and needed intensive medical attention, according to information from a Brazilian source and corroborated by an aide traveling with him.
Also, Presidency sources revealed that, during a recent visit to Egypt, President Yar'Adua met with doctors flown in from Germany. He spent four days in the care of the German doctors in Egypt, returning home in time to co-chair the cancer fundraiser by his wife, Turai, which raked in about N10 billion.
Yar'Adua is expected to stay in Saudi Arabia for one or two weeks, according to medical sources knowledgeable about his medical condition.
Yar'Adua had managed to keep up an appearance of a healthy individual by visiting party carpetbaggers and attending public events that have taken a serious toll on his fragile health. Our sources said Yar'Adua's health has continued to deteriorate despite his public attempts to project a portrait of robust health. “His showy appearances were made possible by the use of anabolic steroids,” disclosed one of our sources.
President Yar'Adua who is expected back before weekend is said to be battling Churg Strauss disease, which is reported to have caused a progressive decline in his organ functions, especially his kidneys.
The President travelled to Saudi Arabia for more than two weeks last August. His absence raised serious concerns about his fitness to govern Africa's most populous nation.
On arrival in Saudi Arabia Yar'Adua met with his physicians, to assess the true state of his ailment.
Since the president left for Saudi Arabia last week Friday for medical examination and to perform the lesser Hajj, there have been speculations over the state of his health.
Sources said that Yar'Adua who was officially received as a guest of the Saudi royalty is currently residing in one of the palatial guest houses of King Fahd Ibn Abdulazeez of Saudi Arabia as the king's special guest.
This gesture from the Saudi royalty is because Yar'Adua is regarded as the leader of the most populous black Moslem country in Africa.
The President's guest house is said to be located within the proximity of the Kaabah. Sources claim that the guest house accommodating the President was renovated with about $135 million in 2007.
President Yar'Adua was said to have placed a call to the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, (FCT), Adamu Aliero, between 2pm and 3pm on Monday and spoke with him for almost half-an-hour. Sources said that the conversation sounded like the president was in unusually high spirits.”
Sources said the President's medical examination has started under the watchful eyes of Royal physicians.
Sources said that Sokoto State Governor Aliyu Magatakarda Wamakko is expected to meet with the president in Saudi Arabia. Wamakko left Sokoto for Saudi Arabia through Aminu Kano Airport, Kano.
Despite his health challenge, Yar'Adua contested and won the Katsina State governorship election. His performance in office was acclaimed by Katsina citizens and other notable agencies.
However, Yar'Adua's medical condition reportedly deteriorated in course of his duty as Katsina State Governor. He then began regular examination at a clinic equipped by construction giant, Julius Berger Plc.
National Daily learned that when former President Olusegun Obasanjo invited Yar'Adua for discussion prior to PDP national convention at Eagles Square, Abuja, where the party's presidential flag bearer will be chosen, Obasanjo offered Yar'Adua the chance to succeed him as Nigeria's President.
Sources however said that Yar'Adua initially declined on the grounds of his fluctuating health condition. But when Obasanjo asked him if his illness is terminal, Yar'Adua according to sources waxed philosophical and religious at the same time. He was reported as saying that: “Who can tell tomorrow? Only God knows what will happen at anytime. It is Allah alone that gives and takes life.”
This vacuous response left Obasanjo with the impression that Yar'Adua was healthy enough to discharge his duties if he is elected President.
However, at the middle of his campaign during the 2007 presidential election, Yar'Adua reportedly collapsed in Aso Rock and was rushed to Julius Berger Clinic in Abuja.
Yar'Adua was eventually flown overseas in a Private Jet for medical treatment at Wiesebaden Hospital in Frankfurt, Germany.
The then incoming president's health crisis threw his party, PDP, into frenzy and frightened political observers who raised the issue of his suitability for the onerous office of the presidency as he appeared not to be in good health condition.
However, Yar'Adua had a successful medical examination in Germany and returned to Nigeria to continue his presidential campaign. He eventually won the election and has been grappling with the responsibility of stirring the ship of State.
Nigerians at home and in the Diaspora are fervently hoping that Mr. President returns to his exalted office after another successful medical trip to Saudi Arabia.
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