Is it not annoying that Yaradua and his team insist he is on "lesser Hajj" when he is obviously sick? Do Nigerians really believe that being on pilgrimage is more important than being on ground to perform the duties this Yaradua swore to perform? If Yaradua was employed by a company, can he tell his boss he is on Hajj while he should be working? But well, in Nigeria, everything from the ridiculous to the extremely irresponsible is possible! Let's see what happens when he decides to go on a "Major" Hajj, maybe he will be gone for even much longer while Nigeria is waiting for Illussion (Vision) 2020.

Well, luckily for Yaradua, there is at least a potential 145Million X 2 kidneys available, any donors?

Yar'adua admits to "Kidney Challenge".

Last View on Thu 4th September, 2008
Last Modified on Thu 04th September, 2008 2:30:21 am
Author: Posted by Admin Sahara


“President” Umaru Yar'adua, who has spent two weeks battling a serious illness, may have made a radical decision about dealing with his perennial health problems, according to our sources.

Just as speculations run riot in Abuja and the local press about Yar’adua’s medical fate, Saharareporters was told by sources in Saudi Arabia that Yar'adua has concluded plans to end his "kidney challenge" by seeking and receiving kidney transplant before returning to Nigeria. But his handlers are insisting that he return to Nigeria first, latest by Saturday, speak to the Nigerian people about his condition, and then take off abroad—most likely to Germany—to seek a more permanent solution to his kidney crisis.

In the last three days, members of Yar’adua’s kitchen cabinet had farmed out misleading leads to several Nigerian newspapers to the effect that the ailing president would return as early as Tuesday and that he would chair this week’s meeting of the federal executive council.

But news that he would not be coming back filtered into Abuja at 12 noon when his plane failed to file an arrival notice to the presidential villa as expected. A source close to him had told Saharareporters that he was arriving midweek to Nigeria for a few days as soon as final tests were concluded to determine the compatibility of persons to donate a kidney to him.

He was expected to make a brief return to Abuja, address the nation, and then leave for Germany to explore the possibility of undergoing kidney transplant.

The plan felt apart, however, when his doctors in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia scheduled further tests to determine whether to attempt renal transplant before he departs for Nigeria. If the decision is made to go ahead with the procedure, then Yar’adua’s stay abroad could be prolonged for another eight weeks, according to a source close to his medical team.

Back in Nigeria, Yar’adua’s ministers put up a show in Abuja by attending the weekly federal executive council meeting, the second since Yar'adua departed Abuja, announcing that he was off to the "lesser hajj" or Ummra in Saudi Arabia. Information Minister John Odey, accompanied by three other ministers, maintained that Yar'adua was still on the lesser hajj in the kingdom of Saudi Arabia. They also announced the award of contracts of various sums.

Despite the ministerial exhibition, a source in the presidency told Saharareporters that governance has finally come to a virtual stop in Abuja since Yar’adua’s unceremonious exit to the city of Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, two weeks ago.

Among the casualties of Yar’adua’s absence are plans to declare a state of emergency in the power sector, and the planned announcement of a committee on “land reforms” to be headed by Professor Akin Mabogunje. Also in jeopardy are arrangements for the annual pilgrimage to New York City for the United Nations General Assembly.

A source close to “Vice President” Goodluck Jonathan told Saharareporters that Jonathan has been quietly chafing at the fact that he has been kept in the dark, along with the rest of Nigerians. “I can tell you that the president continues to give limited information through his wife to his aides and government officials. Vice President Jonathan has not been getting the kind of frequent briefing about the president’s status that he feels entitled to,” said the source.

Two ministers in the government told Saharareporters that most members of the cabinet were jittery about the repercussions of Yar’adua’s absence and the continued decision to lie to Nigerians that the man is on lesser hajj.

“There is palpable apprehension among some of us that President Yar'adua is showing little regard for governance and for the Nigerian people,” said one of the ministers. The two ministers told Saharareporters that they are all completely in the dark about Yar'adua's whereabouts, even though snippets of information have come in from Saudi Arabia to the effect that the man just had a slight sickness.

They said the danger is that Nigerians no longer believe anything from Yar'adua and his handlers. The ministers said some of them were putting subtle pressure to ask that Yar’adua return to Nigeria first to tell the people what is wrong with him and then depart to engage in corrective medical intervention, including the transplant option.

While Nigerians grew more worried about Yar'adua's absense member of his kitchen cabinet led by James Ibori have shifted their base to Dubai where they maintained a strong hold on Yar'adua telling him not to worry about Nigerians, a source told SaharaReporters that former Vice President Atiku Abubakar may have joined the group. The group will be sending the governor of Kwara State, Bukola Saraki (currently in Europe) to visit Yar'adua and tell him what to do next.

==

Last View on Wed 3rd September, 2008
Last Modified on Mon 01st September, 2008 8:41:20 am
Author: Posted by Admin Sahara

Prof. Edward Oparaoji
Director, Global Medical Affairs
Nephrology Section
Shire Pharmaceuticals USA
eoparaoji@aol.com

Recent reports indicate that President Musa Yar”Adua may have undergone kidney transplantation in a Saudi Arabia hospital, resulting from severe kidney damage caused by a rare disease called Churg Strauss Syndrome (CSS). If these reports are correct, it is important that Nigerians know the basic facts about CSS and Kidney transplantation in order to correctly access the political implications.

Shiel and Stoppler wrote an article in www.medicinnet.com, succinctly describing CSS. It is rare and one of many forms of vasculitis- diseases characterized by inflammation of blood vessels, especially small arteries and veins. It occurs in patients with a history of asthma or allergy and20features inflammation of blood vessels in the lungs, skin, nerves, and abdomen and very rarely the kidneys and brain. The cause of the syndrome is not known, but it involves an abnormal over-activation of the immune system in a person with underlying bronchospastic lung disease such as asthma. Although certain asthma medications, called leukotriene modifiers, has been associated with CSS, whether they actually cause the disease or exacerbates it is not yet clear. It is a serious disease that can be fatal. Untreated it is extremely dangerous and threatens the organs that are affected. With aggressive treatment and monitoring it can be quieted and total inactivation of the disease (remission) is possible.

If reports of hemo-dialysis and kidney transplantation are accurate it means that Yar’Adua’s CSS was not controlled with medications (usually comprising high dose steroids and cytoxan- a chemotherapeutic agent), thus resulting in destruction of the blood vessels leading to/supplying the kidneys and the Kidneys themselves. It is also conceivable that since the kidneys are rare targets in CSS, his disease was at an advanced stage, and likely has severely affected other more vulnerable organs such as the lungs, abdomen, skin, prostate, nerves and or muscles. Furthermore, there is a high likelihood of infections (bacterial, fungal and/or viral), due to the medicines used in CSS, which depresses the body’s ability to fight infections.

If the above conditions exist Yar’Adua may not have qualified for kidney transplant, especially in any transplant center in the West. Kidney transplantation is possible when one has no other severe or life threatening condition such as CSS (a badly managed one for that matter), that may hinder transplant success.

It is therefore, proper to ask, did he actually undergo renal transplantation? Was it ethical? Whose kidney? Was it a living or a cadaver donor? What is his prognosis? What is timeline for recuperation? What is his mental status? Can he effectively execute state functions? Did he properly hand over power to the Vic e President- Jonathan Goodluck, prior to this major surgery?

While not familiar with the practice in Saudi Arabia , I will be surprised if any credible transplant center will risk a donor's life or jump over a potential recipient on the list to give precious kidney to a poor transplant candidate. That would be unethical. There are two types of donors- a living donor or a diseased (cadaver) donor. The prognosis or survival rate is better with living donor transplantation. A cadaver donor for a case such as Yar’Adua’s will further compromise his post transplant prognosis.

In a best case scenario kidney transplantation requires at least 3-4 days hospital stay, and an additional 3-4 weeks monitoring, requiring proximity to the transplant center. Baring any act of political desperation, he may not be expected back in the country in good health, within 4 weeks po st kidney transplantation.

Subsequently, Yar”adua may encounter other medical and socio-political challenges. He may require regular mental evaluation to detect any loss of mentation due to the CSS and steroid psychosis (from high dose steroids which are an integral part of life long treatment in kidney transplant patients). Steroid Psychosis occurs as an adverse reaction to taking large doses of steroids, the most common symptoms emotional lability, anxiety, distractibility, pressured speech, sensory flooding, insomnia, depression, perplexity, agitation, auditory and visual hallucinations, intermittent memory impairment, mutism, disturbances of body image, delusions, apathy and hypomania. Other classes of medications used post transplant such as calcineurine inhibitors (cyclosporine), antiproliferative agents (mycophenylate mofetil, azathioprine, or sirolimus), monoclonal antibodies (muromonab-CD3) and polyclonal antibodies (antithymocytes globuline eqine) come with significant side effects as well as other medical, financial and social burden.

Renal transplantation is major surgery which usually requires general anesthesia and could lead to death. If this was an elective/planned surgery, we would expect Yar’Adua to properly hand over power to his VP. If he didn’t, the National Assembly may investigate and possibly consider impeachment-if he is competent on return.

If the little bits from the media are accurate, President Yar’Adua’s prognosis, with or without kidney transplant is not encouraging. He may well be advised to return to Katsina, to take care of himself. A sick nation needs a competent leader.

http://www.saharareporters.com/www/report/detail/?id=610

=====

UPDATE: Sickly Yar'adua May Not return until Weekend - Selected President clings to Power! Meanwhile, Goodluck Jonathan (VP, or spare tyre ) not even anywhere in the picture! Isn't this a classic analogy of a 'spare tyre' which is never relevant except one of the main tires "goes up completely in flames"??


http://www.saharareporters.com/www/news/detail/?id=707

Last View on Fri 29th August, 2008
Last Modified on Thu 28th August, 2008 6:18:41 pm
Author: Posted by Admin Sahara

Saharareporters, New York

Highly confidential information reaching Saharareporters indicates that Umaru Yar'adua’s health has not improved enough to enable him to return to Abuja as soon his aides and ministers predicted to the press. Our source disclosed that “The current health crisis is one of the most serious since President Yar’adua came to office.”

Saharareporters had exclusively reported that Yar'adua’s trip to Saudi Arabia was for urgent medical care, not the stated purpose of performing the lesser hajj or umra announced by his aides.

Saharareporters further reported exclusively that Mr. Yar’adua’s trip to Brazil had been cancelled and members of his advance team were recalled to Abuja from the Murtala Muhammed Airport in Lagos as they waited to board an airline to Brazil via London.

Yar’adua’s uncertain state of health has created a political vacuum in Abuja. As in past trips, Yar’adua was flown out of Abuja without handing over to Goodluck Jonathan to act as “president.” As a result, the planned decoration of recently appointed service chiefs had to be put on hold. Aso Rock has been scrambling to come out with an official explanation as Nigerians wait in vain. When Yar'adua did not show up for the second time to decorate the new service chiefs, the officers had to settle for handling handing over ceremonies to their respective successors.

Saharareporters has learnt that Nigeria’s newspaper publishers and other media owners connived to black out news of Yar’adua’s latest health crisis. Our correspondents learnt that the publishers were co-opted into the deception game in the name of “national security reasons,” according to an insider aware of the deal between the media and the Yar’adua regime.

Our sources said that former Governor Bola Tinubu of Lagos reportedly met with Yar'adua before he departed to Saudi Arabia and promised to take charge of the publishers on Yar'adua's behalf. Mr. Tinubu owns huge stakes in the The Nation, National Life, and a TV station, GOTEL. Unconfirmed reports put Tinubu in Saudi Arabia with Yar'adua. The former governor is said to have undertaken to persuade Atiku Abubakar to drop his legal challenge at the Supreme Court against Yar'adua's election.

The publishers’ commitment to keep the lid on news regarding Yar’adua’s ill health unraveled when Yar'adua could not be found to preside over the weekly Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting held at the Aso Rock villa. The meeting held yesterday.

Emerging from the meeting, two of his ministers—Ojo Madueke of External Affairs and John Odey of Information—spoke to State House correspondents in a poorly executed effort to dismiss reports that Yar'adua was bed-ridden in the kingdom of Saudi Arabia as earlier revealed by SaharaReporters.

But our sources within the regime revealed to us that none of the ministers or aides to Yar'adua knew his whereabouts or his state of health. “Only Madam (Turai), the CSO, and two other people can tell where Oga is,” volunteered an Aso Rock insider who spoke to SaharaReporters about the confusion.

However, a reliable source told Saharareporters that Yar'adua might be returning to Abuja on Saturday or Sunday if his doctors certify him fit enough to travel back to Nigeria.

As we reported earlier, Yar'adua is undergoing treatment in one of the Saudi German hospitals in Saudi Arabia. The decision to go to Saudi Arabia was taken by his family and political associates to avoid an embarrassing situation that may fuel further security angst that Yar'adua is not fit to govern Nigeria due to ill health. He left Abuja precisely eight days ago in company of his wife, Turai, one of his daughters, his Chief Security officer/ Aide De Camp (ADC), two German doctors and two State House pilots.

Sources at the Aso Rock villa said insiders in Yar’adua’s regime are making efforts to bring him back by the weekend. “It’s been discussed that, even if it means bringing on a life support, he should not stay outside Nigeria beyond the weekend. If he does, it may be hard to sustain the lie that he’s on umra,” said our source.

Saharareporters is yet to ascertain what forms of treatment Yar'adua underwent on this trip, but a knowledgeable source told SaharaReporters that he was hospitalized for most of the last seven days. The source said he managed to make a short appearance in a Saudi Mosque last week before he was returned to intensive care.

Yar Adua's N10-Billion Hospice - Nigerian State House invites tender for urgent medical supplies. Is Yar Adua THAT sick?

See: http://www.saharareporters.com/images/State_House_Clinic.pdf




Health Crisis Detains Yar Adua In Saudi Arabia State; Visit To Brazil Cancelled

This man under the spell of his wife would rather DIE in power rathen than leave the presidency for which he has done NOTHING! Imagine if the countries he is running to are run the way Nigeria has been and is being run! IDIOTS! Imagine the city I live in has seen more development and infrastructure upgrades in the past 3 months than Nigeria has since he stole his way and 'selected' to power! What a big shame!

http://www.saharareporters.com/www/news/detail/?id=705

Last View on Tue 26th August, 2008
Last Modified on Tue 26th August, 2008 5:55:24 am
Author: Posted by Admin Sahara
SaharaReporters, New York

Reports reaching SaharaReporters from Saudi Arabia indicate that Umaru Yar'Adua is in what our sources described as “a serious condition” at the Saudi German Hospital in Jeddah. Mr. Yar’Adua has been in Saudi Arabia since Wednesday to undergo medical treatment for undisclosed ailments.

As a result of Mr. Yar’Adua’s continuing health crisis, his planned state visit to Brazil, previously scheduled to commence tomorrow, has been indefinitely postponed. Our sources also indicated that Yar' Adua's German doctors have not given a date for his departure from Saudi Arabia.

An official at the Presidency in Brazil told SaharaReporters that the protocol department in the office of President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva had received “advice from Nigerian authorities stating that the official arrival ceremony for President Umaru Yar'adua earlier scheduled for August 28th 2008 was postponed indefinitely.” The Brazilian official stated that no reasons were advanced for the postponement of Yar'adua's trip.

SaharaReporters had earlier reported that Yar'adua's trip to Saudi Arabia was for medical treatment following a recent deterioration of his health.

Our sources within Aso Rock told SaharaReporters that Yar’adua’s close associates and his wife, Turai, had decided against sending him back to a German hospital. They reportedly feared that his sudden return to Germany might alarm the diplomatic community and create security problems for Yar'adua's presidency. Turai Yar’adua has rebuffed the pleas of some Northern politicians that her husband should resign and pay full attention to his recurrent health crises. She told them that, citing Generals Sani Abacha and Murtala Muhammed, that even if her husband died, he won’t be the first ruler to die in office.

After settling for the Saudi German Hospital in Jeddah, Yar'adua’s handlers issued a deceptive statement that he was going to one of the holy sites of Islam to observe the lesser hajj or umra. He was flown to Saudi Arabia on Wednesday night, a day later than originally scheduled. The trip was delayed in a desperate attempt to minimize the impact of an accurate report by this website that the trip was for Yar’adua’s medical treatment. The PDP even issued a statement claiming that Yar’adua would be in Calabar to campaign for Mr. Liyel Imoke, who is indicted by the House of Representatives’ committee that probed billions of dollars wasted by former President Olusegun Obasanjo in the name of power projects. But a source close to Yar’adua assured SaharaReporters that “President Yar’adua will collapse if he delays his trip by another day.”

Yar'adua traveled with a few family members, including his wife and daughter, as well as his personal doctor, aide-de camp and two German doctors who had earlier flown into Nigeria to manage his deteriorating health condition.

An inside source who was briefed on the trip said Yar'adua was gasping for breath as he labored to board the plane, which was fitted with respiratory aid gadgets provided by the German doctors.

Signs that Yar'adua would not be able to make it to Brazil emerged yesterday when members of his advance party to Brazil were recalled to Abuja from Lagos. The delegation had planned to fly to Brazil via London.

But in a move designed to douse public suspicion, Attorney General of the Federation Michael Aondoakaa was instructed to fly to London. The aim was to divert attention from the cancellation of the Brazilian trip. Aondoakaa told aides and the Nigerian media that he was headed to join Yar'adua in Brazil. He claimed that Yar'adua was flying from Saudi Arabia.

However, SaharaReporters discovered that Aondoakaa did not leave the Heathrow Airport in London. Instead, he checked into the Heathrow Marriott Hotel from where he intends to visit his newly relocated children in London tomorrow.

Our source revealed that Yar'adua's associates were considering secretly flying him to Germany if his current health crisis persists or worsens.


Last View on Wed 3rd September, 2008
Last Modified on Mon 01st September, 2008 8:41:20 am
Author: Posted by Admin Sahara

Prof. Edward Oparaoji
Director, Global Medical Affairs
Nephrology Section
Shire Pharmaceuticals USA
eoparaoji@aol.com

Recent reports indicate that President Musa Yar”Adua may have undergone kidney transplantation in a Saudi Arabia hospital, resulting from severe kidney damage caused by a rare disease called Churg Strauss Syndrome (CSS). If these reports are correct, it is important that Nigerians know the basic facts about CSS and Kidney transplantation in order to correctly access the political implications.

Shiel and Stoppler wrote an article in www.medicinnet.com, succinctly describing CSS. It is rare and one of many forms of vasculitis- diseases characterized by inflammation of blood vessels, especially small arteries and veins. It occurs in patients with a history of asthma or allergy and20features inflammation of blood vessels in the lungs, skin, nerves, and abdomen and very rarely the kidneys and brain. The cause of the syndrome is not known, but it involves an abnormal over-activation of the immune system in a person with underlying bronchospastic lung disease such as asthma. Although certain asthma medications, called leukotriene modifiers, has been associated with CSS, whether they actually cause the disease or exacerbates it is not yet clear. It is a serious disease that can be fatal. Untreated it is extremely dangerous and threatens the organs that are affected. With aggressive treatment and monitoring it can be quieted and total inactivation of the disease (remission) is possible.

If reports of hemo-dialysis and kidney transplantation are accurate it means that Yar’Adua’s CSS was not controlled with medications (usually comprising high dose steroids and cytoxan- a chemotherapeutic agent), thus resulting in destruction of the blood vessels leading to/supplying the kidneys and the Kidneys themselves. It is also conceivable that since the kidneys are rare targets in CSS, his disease was at an advanced stage, and likely has severely affected other more vulnerable organs such as the lungs, abdomen, skin, prostate, nerves and or muscles.    Furthermore, there is a high likelihood of infections (bacterial, fungal and/or viral), due to the medicines used in CSS, which depresses the body’s ability to fight infections.

If the above conditions exist Yar’Adua may not have qualified for kidney transplant, especially in any transplant center in the West. Kidney transplantation is possible when one has no other severe or life threatening condition such as CSS (a badly managed one for that matter), that may hinder transplant success.

It is therefore, proper to ask, did he actually undergo renal transplantation? Was it ethical? Whose kidney? Was it a living or a cadaver donor? What is his prognosis?   What is timeline for recuperation? What is his mental status? Can he effectively execute state functions? Did he properly hand over power to the Vic e President- Jonathan Goodluck, prior to this major surgery?   

While not familiar with the practice in Saudi Arabia , I will be surprised if any credible transplant center will risk a donor's life or jump over a potential recipient on the list to give precious kidney to a poor transplant candidate. That would be unethical. There are two types of donors- a living donor or a diseased (cadaver) donor. The prognosis or survival rate is better with living donor transplantation. A cadaver donor for a case such as Yar’Adua’s will further compromise his post transplant prognosis.

In a best case scenario kidney transplantation requires at least 3-4 days hospital stay, and an additional 3-4 weeks monitoring, requiring proximity to the transplant center. Baring any act of political desperation, he may not be expected back in the country in good health, within 4 weeks po st kidney transplantation.

Subsequently, Yar”adua may encounter other medical and socio-political challenges. He may require regular mental evaluation to detect any loss of mentation due to the CSS and steroid psychosis (from high dose steroids which are an integral part of life long treatment in kidney transplant patients). Steroid Psychosis occurs as an adverse reaction to taking large doses of steroids, the most common symptoms emotional lability, anxiety, distractibility, pressured speech, sensory flooding, insomnia, depression, perplexity, agitation, auditory and visual hallucinations, intermittent memory impairment, mutism, disturbances of body image, delusions, apathy and hypomania. Other classes of medications used post transplant such as calcineurine inhibitors (cyclosporine), antiproliferative agents (mycophenylate mofetil, azathioprine, or sirolimus), monoclonal antibodies (muromonab-CD3) and polyclonal antibodies (antithymocytes globuline eqine) come with significant side effects as well as other medical, financial and social burden. 

Renal transplantation is major surgery which usually requires general anesthesia and could lead to death. If this was an elective/planned surgery, we would expect Yar’Adua to properly hand over power to his VP. If he didn’t, the National Assembly may investigate and possibly consider impeachment-if he is competent on return.

If the little bits from the media are accurate, President Yar’Adua’s prognosis, with or without kidney transplant is not encouraging. He may well be advised to return to Katsina, to take care of himself. A sick nation needs a competent leader.

http://www.saharareporters.com/www/report/detail/?id=610

=====

UPDATE: Sickly Yar'adua May Not return until Weekend - Selected President clings to Power! Meanwhile, Goodluck Jonathan (VP, or spare tyre ) not even anywhere in the picture! Isn't  this a classic analogy of a 'spare tyre' which is never relevant except one of the main tires "goes up completely in flames"??


http://www.saharareporters.com/www/news/detail/?id=707

Last View on Fri 29th August, 2008
Last Modified on Thu 28th August, 2008 6:18:41 pm
Author: Posted by Admin Sahara

Saharareporters, New York

Highly confidential information reaching Saharareporters indicates that Umaru Yar'adua’s health has not improved enough to enable him to return to Abuja as soon his aides and ministers predicted to the press. Our source disclosed that “The current health crisis is one of the most serious since President Yar’adua came to office.”

Saharareporters had exclusively reported that Yar'adua’s trip to Saudi Arabia was for urgent medical care, not the stated purpose of performing the lesser hajj or umra announced by his aides.

Saharareporters further reported exclusively that Mr. Yar’adua’s trip to Brazil had been cancelled and members of his advance team were recalled to Abuja from the Murtala Muhammed Airport in Lagos as they waited to board an airline to Brazil via London. 

Yar’adua’s uncertain state of health has created a political vacuum in Abuja. As in past trips, Yar’adua was flown out of Abuja without handing over to Goodluck Jonathan to act as “president.” As a result, the planned decoration of recently appointed service chiefs had to be put on hold. Aso Rock has been scrambling to come out with an official explanation as Nigerians wait in vain. When Yar'adua did not show up for the second time to decorate the new service chiefs, the officers had to settle for handling handing over ceremonies to their respective successors.

Saharareporters has learnt that Nigeria’s newspaper publishers and other media owners connived to black out news of Yar’adua’s latest health crisis. Our correspondents learnt that the publishers were co-opted into the deception game in the name of “national security reasons,” according to an insider aware of the deal between the media and the Yar’adua regime.

Our sources said that former Governor Bola Tinubu of Lagos reportedly met with Yar'adua before he departed to Saudi Arabia and promised to take charge of the publishers on Yar'adua's behalf. Mr. Tinubu owns huge stakes in the The Nation, National Life, and a TV station, GOTEL. Unconfirmed reports put Tinubu in Saudi Arabia with Yar'adua. The former governor is said to have undertaken to persuade Atiku Abubakar to drop his legal challenge at the Supreme Court against Yar'adua's election.

The publishers’ commitment to keep the lid on news regarding Yar’adua’s ill health unraveled when Yar'adua could not be found to preside over the weekly Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting held at the Aso Rock villa. The meeting held yesterday.

Emerging from the meeting, two of his ministers—Ojo Madueke of External Affairs and John Odey of Information—spoke to State House correspondents in a poorly executed effort to dismiss reports that Yar'adua was bed-ridden in the kingdom of Saudi Arabia as earlier revealed by SaharaReporters.

But our sources within the regime revealed to us that none of the ministers or aides to Yar'adua knew his whereabouts or his state of health. “Only Madam (Turai), the CSO, and two other people can tell where Oga is,” volunteered an Aso Rock insider who spoke to SaharaReporters about the confusion.

However, a reliable source told Saharareporters that Yar'adua might be returning to Abuja on Saturday or Sunday if his doctors certify him fit enough to travel back to Nigeria.

As we reported earlier, Yar'adua is undergoing treatment in one of the Saudi German hospitals in Saudi Arabia. The decision to go to Saudi Arabia was taken by his family and political associates to avoid an embarrassing situation that may fuel further security angst that Yar'adua is not fit to govern Nigeria due to ill health. He left Abuja precisely eight days ago in company of his wife, Turai, one of his daughters, his Chief Security officer/ Aide De Camp (ADC), two German doctors and two State House pilots.

Sources at the Aso Rock villa said insiders in Yar’adua’s regime are making efforts to bring him back by the weekend. “It’s been discussed that, even if it means bringing on a life support, he should not stay outside Nigeria beyond the weekend. If he does, it may be hard to sustain the lie that he’s on umra,” said our source.

Saharareporters is yet to ascertain what forms of treatment Yar'adua underwent on this trip, but a knowledgeable source told SaharaReporters that he was hospitalized for most of the last seven days. The source said he managed to make a short appearance in a Saudi Mosque last week before he was returned to intensive care.

Yar Adua's N10-Billion Hospice - Nigerian State House invites tender for urgent medical supplies. Is Yar Adua THAT sick?

See: http://www.saharareporters.com/images/State_House_Clinic.pdf




Health Crisis Detains Yar Adua In Saudi Arabia State; Visit To Brazil Cancelled

This man under the spell of his wife would rather DIE in power rathen than leave the presidency for which he has done NOTHING! Imagine if the countries he is running to are run the way Nigeria has been and is being run! IDIOTS! Imagine the city I live in has seen more development and infrastructure upgrades in the past 3 months than Nigeria has since he stole his way and 'selected' to power! What a big shame!

http://www.saharareporters.com/www/news/detail/?id=705

Last View on Tue 26th August, 2008
Last Modified on Tue 26th August, 2008 5:55:24 am
Author: Posted by Admin Sahara
SaharaReporters, New York

Reports reaching SaharaReporters from Saudi Arabia indicate that Umaru Yar'Adua is in what our sources described as “a serious condition” at the Saudi German Hospital in Jeddah. Mr. Yar’Adua has been in Saudi Arabia since Wednesday to undergo medical treatment for undisclosed ailments.

As a result of Mr. Yar’Adua’s continuing health crisis, his planned state visit to Brazil, previously scheduled to commence tomorrow, has been indefinitely postponed. Our sources also indicated that Yar' Adua's German doctors have not given a date for his departure from Saudi Arabia.

An official at the Presidency in Brazil told SaharaReporters that the protocol department in the office of President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva had received “advice from Nigerian authorities stating that the official arrival ceremony for President Umaru Yar'adua earlier scheduled for August 28th 2008 was postponed indefinitely.” The Brazilian official stated that no reasons were advanced for the postponement of Yar'adua's trip.

SaharaReporters had earlier reported that Yar'adua's trip to Saudi Arabia was for medical treatment following a recent deterioration of his health.

Our sources within Aso Rock told SaharaReporters that Yar’adua’s close associates and his wife, Turai, had decided against sending him back to a German hospital. They reportedly feared that his sudden return to Germany might alarm the diplomatic community and create security problems for Yar'adua's presidency. Turai Yar’adua has rebuffed the pleas of some Northern politicians that her husband should resign and pay full attention to his recurrent health crises. She told them that, citing Generals Sani Abacha and Murtala Muhammed, that even if her husband died, he won’t be the first ruler to die in office.

After settling for the Saudi German Hospital in Jeddah, Yar'adua’s handlers issued a deceptive statement that he was going to one of the holy sites of Islam to observe the lesser hajj or umra. He was flown to Saudi Arabia on Wednesday night, a day later than originally scheduled. The trip was delayed in a desperate attempt to minimize the impact of an accurate report by this website that the trip was for Yar’adua’s medical treatment. The PDP even issued a statement claiming that Yar’adua would be in Calabar to campaign for Mr. Liyel Imoke, who is indicted by the House of Representatives’ committee that probed billions of dollars wasted by former President Olusegun Obasanjo in the name of power projects. But a source close to Yar’adua assured SaharaReporters that “President Yar’adua will collapse if he delays his trip by another day.” 

Yar'adua traveled with a few family members, including his wife and daughter, as well as his personal doctor, aide-de camp and two German doctors who had earlier flown into Nigeria to manage his deteriorating health condition.

An inside source who was briefed on the trip said Yar'adua was gasping for breath as he labored to board the plane, which was fitted with respiratory aid gadgets provided by the German doctors.

Signs that Yar'adua would not be able to make it to Brazil emerged yesterday when members of his advance party to Brazil were recalled to Abuja from Lagos. The delegation had planned to fly to Brazil via London.

But in a move designed to douse public suspicion, Attorney General of the Federation Michael Aondoakaa was instructed to fly to London. The aim was to divert attention from the cancellation of the Brazilian trip.  Aondoakaa told aides and the Nigerian media that he was headed to join Yar'adua in Brazil. He claimed that Yar'adua was flying from Saudi Arabia.

However, SaharaReporters discovered that Aondoakaa did not leave the Heathrow Airport in London. Instead, he checked into the Heathrow Marriott Hotel from where he intends to visit his newly relocated children in London tomorrow.

Our source revealed that Yar'adua's associates were considering secretly flying him to Germany if his current health crisis persists or worsens.

shldnt this man just resign and go tend to his health? Turai . . . you prefer money to a healthy husband? Na wa o.

Ok this yar adua sickness don tire me oo,, today brazil for treatment tomorrow beligum
The man should just hand over to Goodluck jonathan and take care of himself because even with healthy presidents we are still struggling. Ever since he became president the only thing i hear about him health problem here and there.

Is anyone surprised that this kind of news will never be published in Nigeria? The last time he was rushed to Germany, Nigerian papers did not publish the truth of what happened until several days afterwards.

Turai Yar’adua has rebuffed the pleas of some Northern politicians that her husband should resign and pay full attention to his recurrent health crises. She told them that, citing Generals Sani Abacha and Murtala Muhammed, that even if her husband died, he won’t be the first ruler to die in office.

someone needs to slap that "first lady"
Is it more important to her that her ailing husband dies in office risking military takeover?
nigerians and greed

After settling for the Saudi German Hospital in Jeddah, Yar'adua’s handlers issued a deceptive statement that he was going to one of the holy sites of Islam to observe the lesser hajj or umra. He was flown to Saudi Arabia on Wednesday night, a day later than originally scheduled. The trip was delayed in a desperate attempt to minimize the impact of an accurate report by this website that the trip was for Yar’adua’s medical treatment

I wonder why his aides are called handlers
Is he a wild animal ?
All the cover up,greater hajj, medium and lesser hajj
what won't they tell us

CyberG:

Is anyone surprised that this kind of news will never be published in Nigeria? The last time he was rushed to Germany, Nigerian papers did not publish the truth of what happened until several days afterwards.

do you want them to "dele giwa" the publishers?
northern style

he he he he heeeeee

nigeria will miss obj

[quote author=Queenisha link=topic=164162.msg2710291#msg2710291 date=1219767796

northern style

[/quote]
what do you mean by this?

just take a good at yourself, your president is sick and all you can say is this, courtesy demands that you wish him a quick recovery.
thats the problem with nigerians, you always complain of everything. please change your attitude before GOD strikes you with a deadly disease that you cannot handle.[quote author=O-B-J link=topic=164162.msg2710331#msg2710331 date=1219768636]
he he he he heeeeee

nigeria will miss obj

are you his new PA, sorry lesson teacher

just take a good at yourself, your president is sick and all you can say is this, courtesy demands that you wish him a quick recovery.
thats the problem with nigerians, you always complain of everything. please change your attitude before GOD strikes you with a deadly disease that you cannot handle.

This is off-point! No personal attacks and you need not curse someone on this thread! If you have nothing meaningful and on-point, you may read but don't spew your hatred on here!

Also, when contributing to discussions you need to be objective, we all see things differently but keep to the issues!

davidylan:

shldnt this man just resign and go tend to his health? Turai . . . you prefer money to a healthy husband? Na wa o.

can u blame turai, politicians have little time for their family so why not use him for what he is worth. this brings an important question. what happens if goodluck jonathan the pride of niger delta becomes president.

bawomolo:

this brings an important question. what happens if goodluck jonathan the pride of niger delta becomes president.

Bawomolo, I see your little hiatus has not taught you any sense. Welcome back anyway. 

Moving on. . . . . . . who told you that Goodluck is the pride of Niger Delta? Is this the same Goodluck that we refer to as Federal Houseboy?

And if so, what do you find to be wrong with Goodluck? Is is that he is from Niger Delta or is it that he is corrupt? Last time I checked, corruption has never stopped anyone from becoming President of Nigeria and Goodluck does not exactly rank highly in the hall of fame of corruption.

Or do you think Goodluck supports militants?

Shed more light on your above statement please.

papa_dims:

just take a good at yourself, your president is sick and all you can say is this, courtesy demands that you wish him a quick recovery.

Oga, in more sincere countries the president would long have resigned and left the running of a country in deep crisis to someone stronger. McCain had to release his medical records for the last decade to prove he was healthy enough to run for President . . . why is it different here? We have a disaster in the power sector, the Niger Delta is up in flames, Bakassi has been signed away by a delirious president . . . and all you want is that we wish him speedy recovery?

churg Strauss Syndrome has NO cure, you can only manage it with steroid therapy. For how long are we going to be suspending governance so Mr. Presido can enjoy speedy recovery in Saudi Arabia?

it was an open question. don't get defensive.

I think he needs to decare a state of emergency on his healthooo and pass the baton quickly, since when has the presidency become a hospital affair.

I aint defensive dawg. What are your thoughts on Goodluck as President of Nigeria? Or should we suspend the constitution in the event that Yar'Adua is R.I.P? Hmmmmm. . . . . . I wonder how Nigerians would feel if they are ruled by an Ijaw man.  

@davidylan

Abeg, thank you! Can you imagine Nigerians defenfing the UNDEFENDABLE? Can you imagine that in the past one hour, several Nigerians from newborn babies to whatever age have died from seemingly trivial sicknesses and diseases? Only if they could find some reliable basic healthcare, they would be alive now. Yet, someone who has no business being president will use our money with dozens of aides looking for a cure in foreign countries, yet Nigerians think this is a GREAT idea?

How I wish Nigeria will at make progress but this will never happen with this Yaradua,

Well, it is no more a matter of how pple will feel if ruled by Ijaw man, he is the second in comman, he is the VP of the nation, and he will be the ruler and the next president if the president died.

$$Rhino:

Well, it is no more a matter of how people will feel if ruled by Ijaw man, he is the second in comman, he is the VP of the nation, and he will be the ruler and the next president if the president died.

Really? In this present time of Niger-Delta crisis? Do you not think that is a risky game for Nigeria to be playing?

My best bet is that the constitution will be suspended and an interim government put in place.

Ibime:

Really? In this present time of Niger-Delta crisis? Do you not think that is a risky game for Nigeria to be playing?

My best bet is that the constitution will be suspended and an interim government put in place.

i am sorry but what part of out constitution says that, besides, that means we are looking for a war, cos if it was an hausa man that is the VP, or a Yoruba man, we wont be talking abt suspending the constitution.

why put an interim government and let the barrack come back in the name of "restoring" order. plain and simple goodluck jonathan is next in command. at this point, the senate seems to have more power than the executive in nigerian. why does yar'adua have such a strenuous traveling schedule anyway. doesn't he have a foreign minister to help out.

I would expect that if Yar'Adua were to pass away,Goodluck will serve out the rest of the remaining term before power is transfered back to the North in the next presidential elections.

bawomolo:

why put an interim government and let the barrack come back in the name of "restoring" order. plain and simple goodluck jonathan is next in command. at this point, the senate seems to have more power than the executive in nigerian. why does yar'adua have such a strenuous traveling schedule anyway. doesn't he have a foreign minister to help out.

Just to point out: Yaradua does not have a strenouous traveling schedule -- He is compelled to travel because he is SICK and there is NO hospital in Nigeria or in AFRICA he can TRUST to treat him properly. No medical equipment, even if there are doctors. And if both are available, Nigeria has no clue how to fix and turn on power or we have refused to!

So, He is going to the people who have more brains than him and have figured something out. Can you imagine that any other president of the developed world will NEVER trust himself to a foreign doctor than the ones in his country? BUT some clueless presidents will do that, not wanting to DIE, change military chiefs to avoid possible coups, care less if poor Nigerians die because of headache or malaria, while submitting to someone whose loyalty is the millions of currency they get as payment!

I am still waiting for the man to get a clue here. For those who cling on to their belief of him being an honest man, here is a question for you. He has been in office over a year now and in that same period, he has had to leave the country at least 3 times for medical care. If he was such an honest man and all, how come he has not figured out that there may be others out there in Nigeria dealing with the same medical ailments as he is, and it could actually benefit them if he would at least work towards setting up world class health facilities in Nigeria here for those to take advantage of, while he can fly out to get his own if he wants to still? What good is it that we have a man who is SUPPOSEDLY not corrupt but is heartless? What is the difference here??

Kobojunkie:

I am still waiting for the man to get a clue here. For those who cling on to their belief of him being an honest man, here is a question for you. He has been in office over a year now and in that same period, he has had to leave the country at least 3 times for medical care. If he was such an honest man and all, how come he has not figured out that there may be others out there in Nigeria dealing with the same medical ailments as he is, and it could actually benefit them if he would at least work towards setting up world class health facilities in Nigeria here for those to take advantage of, while he can fly out to get his own if he wants to still? What good is it that we have a man who is SUPPOSEDLY not corrupt but is heartless? What is the difference here??

Some people have no shame. Is this the Kobojunkie who was defending Yar Adua last yr?

davidylan:

Some people have no shame. Is this the Kobojunkie who was defending Yar Adua last yr?

dont mind kobojunkie, nairaland's one and only flip flopper

davidylan:

Some people have no shame. Is this the Kobojunkie who was defending Yar Adua last yr?

I saw that too and remember how she was carrying on about the fact that illhealth should not be a disqualifying factor.

by papa dims

what do you mean by this?

just take a good at yourself, your president is sick and all you can say is this, courtesy demands that you wish him a quick recovery.
thats the problem with nigerians, you always complain of everything. please change your attitude before GOD strikes you with a deadly disease that you cannot handle.

bia lookie hia.

Who do you think will be striken down first?

answer: one who wishes his fellow human a deadly disease
Idiot!

The signs were there even before he became president. That's the more reason I think he never really wanted it. Apart from Obasanjo, I'm sure his wife was the main person who made him take it, if her position above is anything to go by. This man has no plans, and no plans to plan, he's just taking it in his stride, like a normal everyday job. He should resign. Wonder if there is something like the US's 25th amendment in our constituition. I don't think so.

Can anyone imagine how you would feel if you knew your life would not be ANY BETTER than it is in a whole 4 YEARS, possible 8 YEARS with Nigeria's rigging system?

Worse, that regression will set in because life is essentially not a STAGNANT (stationary) thing?

Well, in case anyone has not realized, this is the perfect analogy for a YARADUA presidency! One SICK man would hold us down for 4 or 8 years! Oh my, o ma se oo,

davidylan:

Some people have no shame. Is this the Kobojunkie who was defending Yar Adua last yr?

uhmn. . . . . . very hillarious

lots of my mates too were having an hopeless hope in the yara guy when he came in , . . . . . , . . ,
its the nigerian thing to proclaim anything new as the best ever, even when they have a bad past record.

dont forget pastor tunde bakare also claimed yara is d messiah long awaited.

don't forget pastor tunde bakare also claimed yara is d messiah long awaited.

i too tot he will perform better than past leaders, but within 2 months i knew he was a useless leader with no hope of setting the nation on course.

[quote author=4 Play link=topic=164162.msg2710678#msg2710678 date=1219774398]
I would expect that if Yar'Adua were to pass away,Goodluck will serve out the rest of the remaining term before power is transfered back to the North in the next presidential elections.


This North South divide is only in the PDP 'power sharing agreement' and not in the Nigeria constitution. Our brothers from the North has for a long time see Presidency as 'property of the North' and this is where this rotation invention came from, and OBJ made a stupid mistake not to have mentor brillant and young south east and south south leaders to take over, if we assume we are going to be applying this rotation business. If anyone will recall, that the North has more than 2/3 of the Nigeria independence in one way or the other the Presidency/ Head of State of Nigeria.

The reason why the south resent the northern mentality of ' property of the North' is not because we hated the North but because  THEY HAVE BEEN MEDIOCARE, bad as OBJ, he is propably better than any of the Northern leader.

let me give you one or two major example, usually the North don't like to relinqiush Power, oBJ did it twice albeit it reluctantly.

Secondly, OBJ is the only Nigerian leader who knowningly determined to pay off Nigerian foreign debts. All our Norther brothers as leaders has always borrowed and not repaid until IMF comes in.

Without the mediocare of the North, beleive me nobody will bother about who is in the Presidency either Fulani, hausa, kanuri, nupe or Tiv.

The southern states are just as interested in good governance as they may be interested in power. Nigerians of all tribes have respect and honour for both General Gowon and Murtala Mohammed, so we in the south as the north knows we are not anti North, but anti non progressive.

[/quote][quote author=CyberG link=topic=164162.msg2711308#msg2711308 date=1219783884]
Can anyone imagine how you would feel if you knew your life would not be ANY BETTER than it is in a whole 4 YEARS, possible 8 YEARS with Nigeria's rigging system?

Worse, that regression will set in because life is essentially not a STAGNANT (stationary) thing?

Well, in case anyone has not realized, this is the perfect analogy for a YARADUA presidency! One SICK man would hold us down for 4 or 8 years! Oh my, o ma se oo,

PRECISELY. YAR A'DULL IS A CLUELESS AND ILLUSSION 2020. He has spent well over 15 months out 48 months, he himself is not sure where we are, so how can ordinary Nigerians be sure where we are going unless we are psychic. The interetsing bit about it is that since we know that he hasn't achieve anything in the last 15months it is safe to say he is unlikely to do anthing in the reminder of the the 33 months because the last 12 months is usually campaign for re-election. All I think this guy is thinking about is his health and if he survives next 3 years for re-election.

The beneficiaries of all this chaos are the do nothings and stealing executhievs of Nigeria.

Everyday is for the thief, one day is for the owner. NIGERIA DAY WILL BE HERE VERY SOON.