New details about President Umaru Yar’adua’s health have emerged, pointing to a carefully-managed power struggle in the Presidency at Abuja

Reports gather that after suffering swellings all over his body over the weekend of Saturday April 12 2008, Yar’Adua was flown out to Germany yesterday night after he barely managed to perform a widely publicized budget signing ceremony from his private residence in the presence of Goodluck Jonathan and a few officials. Only the State House camera crew were allowed to cover the event.

But prior to his departure from Nigeria, according to Aso Rock sources, the president handed over to the National Security Adviser, Major General Sarki Mukhtar (Rtd), the all time powerful Chief of Staff, General Abdullahi Mohammed (rtd) and the Secretary to the Federal Government, Alhaji Baba Gana Kingibe, thus bypassing the official number two man, Goodluck Jonathan.

Mr. Jonathan is nothing more than a “social prefect” in Aso Rock, his main duties having been mostly tailored to appearing at social functions to represent his principal.

Also there have been speculations that the core Muslim Northern power bloc is not well-disposed to Jonathan taking over as president, in case Yar’adua becomes incapacitated and unable to carry out official duties. A document in limited circulation, sighted by Saharareporters, is explicit about the possible course of action should Yar’adua die of his current ailment: Mr. Jonathan is expected to resign as Vice-President or he will be forced to do so.

Though Presidency sources downplayed the latest health crisis as some “allergic reaction”, knowledgeable medical sources claim that Yar’adua’s current condition can only be managed for some time, but cannot be cured. It is gathered that his German doctors have communicated this to him since last year.

There is no information about Yar'adua's whereabouts in Germany, but a source said that he is likely to be with attending physicians at the Department of Nephrology, Deutsche Klinik für Diagnostik, Wiesbaden, Germany.

He arrived Germany today -Tuesday, April 15 2008 and checked into the hospital in Wiesbaden at 12 noon. He is expected to return to Nigeria by the weekend.

What happens if the unexpected happens?

The question is whether Yar'adua has handed over to anyone


I don't know whether Presidents always hand over to their vice each time they go abroad?

People should stop all this unnecessary whitsle blowing and mistrust that has destroyed the unity of Nigeria.


It is Natural that a President's confidants are his Chief of Staff and National Security Adviser whether they are from mu_slim North or Christain South.

vikviko(wat kind of name is dis)SAHARA REPORTERS ARE NOT CREDIBLE,DEY ARE SIMPLY SENSATIONALIST,DONT BELIEVE ANYTHING U READ ON SAHARA REPORTS.DIS STORY IS ACTUALLY RUBBISH,THERE IS NO EVIDENCE TO SUPPORT WHAT IS CLAIMED,THEREFORE IT IS SIMPLY BASELESS.
PLS DONT U AVE MORE IMPORTANT THINGS TO DO WITH UR TIME THAN BRING BASELESS AND USELESS STORY IN OTHER TO JUSTIFY UR SELFISH EGO.
NIGERIANS ARE TIRED OF PEOPLE LIKE U.MR KILL JOY.PLS BRING SOMETHING BETTER OR GO HOME AND Bleep UR WIFE,THAT IS IF U ARE MAN ENOUGH.IDIOT,TROUBLE MAKER LIKE URSELF, SAYING YARADAUA DID NOT HAND OVER TO JONATHAN,PLS THINK PEOPLE U TYPE NEXT TIME.OLODO

There is nothing unusual about presidents dying in office. William Harrison was the first US president to die in office. The last was John Kennedy. In all, there have been eight sitting Presidents who died by way of illness, natural causes or assassination. Franklin D. Roosevelt for instance died of cerebral hemorrhage. In Nigeria , four chiefs of state have died in office: Johnson Aguyi-Ironsi was murdered in 1966; Abubakar Tafawa Balewa was killed in 1966; Murtala Mohammed was assassinated in 1976; while Sani Abacha died under mysterious circumstances, in 1998. Whether they were deposed, resigned, or assassinated, the rumor mills have always been rife with conjectures about the health and sanity of Nigerian leaders. Yar’Adua is not an exception: there are lingering questions about his mental and physical state.



Ever since he came to national prominence, there have always been speculations about his health. In recent days, there has been news account of his being flown to Germany for medical treatment. No one knows for sure what the matter is, leading some to speculate he has incurable cancer of the lung, disease of the liver (cirrhosis) or kidney problems. In the early days of his tenure, it was derisively said he was flown overseas to be treated for the common catarrh. Outside of the walls of the presidency and his doctors’ office, no one is sure of what ills the President; what’s for sure is that the President has had periodic health challenges. But what if he dies or become incapacitated by his health problems?



Following the order of succession -- and in order not to create leadership vacuum -- the Vice President takes over from the President in the event of death, incapacitation or any other reasons prescribed by law. Simply put: Vice President Jonathan Ebele Goodluck is mandated by the Constitution to take over the President’s responsibilities in case of foreseen or unforeseen situations. The 1999 Nigerian Constitution is very clear on such matters. Chapter V1 for instance states that:



Whenever the President transmits to the President of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives a written declaration that he is proceeding on vacation or that he is otherwise unable to discharge the functions of his office, until he transmits to them a written declaration to the contrary such functions shall be discharged by the Vice-President as Acting President (145)



The Vice-President shall hold the office of President if the office of President becomes vacant by reason of death or resignation, impeachment, permanent incapacity or the removal of the President from office for any other reason in accordance with section 143 of this Constitution (146).