MORE than 50 prominent Nigerians across professions and spanning the six geopolitical zones yesterday told ailing President Umaru Yar’Adua to resign his office immediately or unconditionally hand over to the Vice-President, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan, who keeps pledging his loyalty to Yar’Adua.
Their demand is that Goodluck should complete the current term of office, and conduct the next general elections based on the report of the electoral reform committee headed by Justice Mohammed Lawal Uwais.

In a statement titled; “President Yar’Adua’s health condition and the state of the nation,” the eminent citizens who said they were President Yar’Adua’s compatriots and a part of his larger Nigerian family sympathized with him. They said he should give his health a priority attention. “At the same time, the need to provide effective governance for this nation of over 150 million people cannot be compromised,” they said.
They also declared that; “It is clear to every discerning observer that President Umaru Yar’Adua’s physical condition has had a negative impact on his ability to discharge the functions of the highest office in our nation.
“Within the last few months, he has been unable to attend to crucial affairs of the state at home and abroad and whenever he has found time to do so, his judgment appears impaired by his ill-health.”


Vanguard spoke with some of those listed as signatories.\

Chief Olu Falae (Chieftain of Mega Summit Movement and AD Presidential candidate in 1999)
Since he is unable to perform his duties, he should not hold the nation to ransom. That is what we are saying. A medical board should be set up immediately to determine whether he is fit to continue in office or not, because that is what the constitution says.

Ken Nnamani (Former Senate President)
Speaking through his special adviser, Dr. Sam Amadi said, the former Senate President travelled out of the country and he has not seen the statement. “The statement was sent to me to advise the former Senate President on the issue. I did not sign the statement. The proper procedure is to establish how this illness has impaired Yar’Adua’s ability to work, having determined that constitutionally, any other process can be followed”.

Uche Onyeagocha (Former member, House of Representatives)
I signed it because I do not think there is any real reason for Yar’Adua to stay in power.

Bamidele Aturu (Lagos lawyer and activist)
I signedfor the country to take its proper shape.

Femi Falana (President, West African Bar Association)
I signed it on the ground that the president is currently being held hostage by those who do not wish him well.

Yinka Odumakin (Publicity Secretary, Afenifere Renewal Group)

Sure, I signed, because the country is facing constitution crisis, we should not allow this to go on. There are constitutional provisions for what we should do, we must do that now.

Chief John Oyegun (former Governor, Edo State)
The constitutional provisions should be followed strictly. The National Assembly should do its job if Yar’Adua can no longer perform his duties. The country has to be governed and we should stop playing games.  The constitution should be adhered to instead of this declaration of a period for prayers.

Alhaji Balarabe Musa (former Governor of Kaduna State)
The call on Yar’Adua to resign is a consensus position, which I identify with. But my own personal position is that the situation is much more serious than just calling for the president’s resignation.
This is because calling on him to resign leaves him with the option of rejecting the call. I would rather propose that a medical panel should be set up in line with the provision of Section 144 of the constitution.
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Even in this technological age, it isn't completely possible to govern Nigeria remotely from Saudi.
In the interest of this country Bankole and Mark need to defend the constitution and subject Yaradua to a medical and make him resign if he is not fit.

Imagine a situation where 17 Nigerians have been slaughtered by cameroonian gendarmes and there is no response from federal govt.

Those who are patriotic to Nigeria will seek to defend the Nigerian constitution

while those who are patriotic to Yar'adua will place Yar'adua's greed, ambition over National interest.
Aondoakaa and co have every right to talk about patriotism but the question is what are they patriotic to, the country or individuals.

I just wish to remind anyone who questions the patriotism of those who call for yar'adua's resignation that when they do so they also question the patriotism of the Nigerian constitution which this men seek to defend and which Yar'adua himself also swore an oath to defend.

The man needs to resign.