Yar’Adua: Saudi authorities deny ministers landing clearance
By Semiu Okanlawon, Published: Monday, 22 Feb 2010





President Yar’Adua.


Indications emerged on Sunday that members of the Federal Executive Council who were delegated to visit President Umaru Yar’Adua in Saudi Arabia had been denied landing clearance by that country’s security.

Reliable sources told our correspondent on Sunday night that while members of the team were set for take-off at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, information came in that the Saudi Arabian aviation authorities had denied the presidential jet, which was to convey the visiting team, landing access at the Jeddah airport.

Although information was sketchy on the development as at 10pm, sources close to the team disclosed that the trip “had been postponed.”

A reliable source that is very close to the Presidency disclosed that each of the five ministers and the Secretary to the Government of the Federation was supposed to travel last night with two aides.

The source said, “Everybody was shocked when the information came from Saudi Arabia that the team had been denied landing clearance for the trip on Sunday night. They were supposed to leave at midnight on Sunday and everything was ready until the information was communicated to the ministers.

“Although no official reason was communicated, all I can tell you is that the refusal to grant landing clearance to the presidential jet may not be unconnected with the growing strained relationship between the Nigerian government and the Saudi authorities over the continued stay of President Yar’Adua in the Saudi hospital.”

The source added that because the President’s wife, Turai, had expressly requested for a “non-disclosure order form,” which forbids the King Faisal Specialist Hospital from either releasing information on the President’s health or allowing visitors, “the Saudi authorities are not comfortable with the fact that the people are beginning to think as if they are holding President Yar’Adua hostage. They are only following the instruction from the President’s wife.”

The FEC had on Wednesday February 17, raised the six-man team to visit the President with a view to ascertaining the state of his health.

The trip, which critics believed was devised as an escape route to avoid setting up a medical board to investigate the President’s health, had caused sharp division among members of the FEC.

While some FEC members believed the visit could reveal the true situation of the President’s health and consequently culminate in the invocation of Section 144 of the 1999 Constitution, others were of the view that the FEC could declare Yar’Adua incapacitated, without going through the trouble.

Members of the team are the Minister of Health, Prof. Babatunde Osotimehin; the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Chief Kayode Adetokunbo; Minister of Agriculture, Dr. Sayyadi Abba-Ruma; and Foreign Affairs Minister, Chief Ojo Maduekwe.

Others are Minister of Petroleum, Dr. Rilwanu Lukman and Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Alhaji Yayale Ahmed. Four of the ministers are known to be die-hard loyalists of the ailing President.

The make-up of the team had compelled many to conclude that they would return to the country without giving a true account of the President’s state of health.

The delegation by FEC was the fifth to Saudi Arabia.

Special Adviser to the President on National Assembly Matters, Senator Muhammed Abba-Aji, had, two weeks ago, claimed that Nigerian government officials and others interested in visiting Yar’Adua in Saudi Arabia could not do so because the Saudi Arabian royal family was in charge of his protocol and security arrangement.

He had stated that the Saudi royal family’s handling of the President’s protocol and security arrangement was because of the fact that the section of King Faisal Specialist Hospital in Jeddah, where Yar’Adua is on admission, is the same reserved section where the King of Saudi Arabia stays whenever he is receiving medical attention.

Consequently, Abba-Aji said any information from the President was passed through Yar’Adua’s Chief Security Officer, Mr. Yusuf Tilde, and his Aide- de- Camp, Col. Mustapha Onoyiveta.

Abba-Aji had stated, “So, the security and protocol arrangements are controlled from the King’s Palace in Riyadh; so it is not like a general hospital that you can walk in or walk out of.

“Because of this, we are communicating regularly through the ADC and the CSO and he is aware of everything that is happening in the National Assembly.”

On November 29, 2009, Governors Bukola Saraki (Kwara); Gabriel Suswan (Benue); Alhaji Ibrahim Shema (Katsina); Alhaji Isa Yuguda (Bauchi) and the Economic Adviser to the President, Dr. Taminu Yakubu, had travelled to Jeddah without seeing the President.

Also, on December 26, 2009, the President’s Principal Secretary, Mr. David Edevbie, was reported to have taken the supplementary budget to Yar’Adua for his signature.

Also, on February 9, a delegation of members of the House of Representatives comprising Mr. Baba Shehu Agaie, Alhaji Ali Ndume, Mr. Patrick Ikhariale, Alhaji Moruf Fatai and Alhaji Jibril Adamu had travelled to Saudi Arabia. They returned to Nigeria after spending four days without seeing the President.

The Peoples Democratic Party had also on February 11 sent some of its leaders, including its National Chairman, Chief Vincent Ogbulafor; Deputy National Chairman, North, Dr. Bello Mohammed; National Secretary, Alhaji Abubakar Baraje, another official, Dr. Musa Babayo, Yuguda and Saraki.

They were all reported to have failed to see the President.

http://www.punchng.com/Articl.aspx?theartic=Art20100222631184

These clowns no get shame ni? Why are they embarrassing themselves and Nigeria because of one man. Is Yaradua bigger than Nigeria?

Impeach this man and let the country move, Saudi can keep him till eternity if den like.

this is becoming really interestint, ijele part 3, bunch of idiots, oooohhh ---- this is hopeless gaint of africa, sorry gaint of abuja not africa.

It has turned into a diplomatic imbroglio. Instead of the Saudis been upfront and saying exactly what is going on, they have done their best to frustrate all Nigerians. It would be interesting to see the next couple of steps taken by the FG.

[size=14pt]I am now strongly convinced that the American Chronicle was correct that Yar Adua died on December 10 last year.[/size]
We now need to find a way to deal with Saudi.

Step 1. Recall the Saudi ambassador immediately.
Step 2. Sack our own ambassador to Saudi immediately.
Step 3. Fly the presidential jet back from Saudi immediately.
Step 4. Impeach Yar Adua immediately.
Step 5. Sack all members of the kitchen cabinet immediately.
Step 6. Arrest Aondoakaa and Ibori immediately (wherever they are on the Globe.
Step 7. Institute a high level probe into the whole Yar Adua affair.

@ topic

yeah whatever.

Can all the Yaradua watchdogs spare us the blow by blow accounts of how anybody got to saudi arabia and what they did there.

very uninteresting chronicle.

[size=14pt]abi una wan take style divert attention from the other pressing matters? [/size]

You can squeeze it, try to kill it, bury it, hide it, try to distort it, deny it or even ignore it but IT WILL ALWAYS COME OUT UNTOUCHED! its called THE TRUTH. Fellow Nigerians, its just one day and all these brouhaha will be in the open. There is a power called POSTERITY, it will hold everyone that contributed to making nigeria a laughing stock accountable for their actions. The time is FAST APPROACHING . . .

Beaf:

[size=14pt]I am now strongly convinced that the American Chronicle was correct that Yar Adua died on December 10 last year.[/size]
We now need to find a way to deal with Saudi.

Step 1. Recall the Saudi ambassador immediately.
Step 2. Sack our own ambassador to Saudi immediately.
Step 3. Fly the presidential jet back from Saudi immediately.
Step 4. Impeach Yar Adua immediately.
Step 5. Sack all members of the kitchen cabinet immediately.
Step 6. Arrest Aondoakaa and Ibori immediately (wherever they are on the Globe.
Step 7. Institute a high level probe into the whole Yar Adua affair.

on these notes i agree with you.
When some of us were questioning that BBC interview, we were called pessimists,who never see any thing good in the country and incurable cynics.
I still have the correspondence i had with the BBC editor in my mail box.
In the fullness of time, i shall return back to require an open apology to the people of Nigeria for BBC's complicity in the web of deceit and lies that have reigned in the Nigerian political space in recent months.
If they refuse my request, i shall send the contents of our email exchange to a rival media house and their shame will be made public.
Time is no respecter of person, it might be patient but it is no coward.
That is a simple truth that Turai and her band of crooks have forgotten.

@ Beef, thats exactly what our govt need to do next. The situation at hand is a clear case of conspiracy of the turai, yaraduas kitchen cabinet, saudi govt and possibly american and british govt. Nigerian govt should immediately revoke its relationship with saudi govt and likewise place aandoaka, ibori and others on security watchlist so they'l not escape prosecution. We've had enough of this embarassment and insults!

Mbulela,

I will appreciate if you could post them here. I told a colleague this morning that when we are through with the whole Yar'Adua debacle, we shall go back to BBC and question what the whole interview issue is because I for one know that the interview never took place with Yar'Adua

keeeem:

Mbulela,

I will appreciate if you could post them here. I told a colleague this morning that when we are through with the whole Yar'Adua debacle, we shall go back to BBC and question what the whole interview issue is because I for one know that the interview never took place with Yar'Adua

I agree to that.

@mbulela
I made a post with some software that we could use to detect if the voice was faked or not, unknown to me at the time was that the recording had to be from a high quality source; but the trick they used (in my opinion) is, that it was a phone call. Why is this important? To mask any tricks, they would have had to use a low quality mic if they had physically gone to interview him in Saudi, but then they would have had to cover themselves from accusations that they deliberately used low quality equipment; so they played a fast one and did a "phone interview" (they have no control over the quality of Saudi phone lines), phone lines are usually low quality. End result? The voice cannot be digitally authenticated.

that one na security matter o!!!
just kidding.
just give me a few minutes i will be back.

one of several correspondences (some deletion for obvious reasons);

From:
NewsOnline <newsonline@bbc.co.uk>

To: -------------------
Dear Sir,

Thank you for taking the trouble to contact us.

Do you have any proof for your allegation that it was an imposter?

The interview was set up through the president's office.

And the BBC's Mansur Liman is a very experienced Nigerian journalist,
who can recognise his president's voice.

Yours,

Joseph Winter
Africa editor
BBC News website
www.bbc.com/africa

my response

From:
-----------

To: NewsOnline <newsonline@bbc.co.uk>
Dear Sir,
As a follow up to my earlier response, i find it intriguing and highly disheartening that the BBC measures the authenticity of that phone call by the integrity of a presidency that has elevated lies to a conscious policy of deceit and subterfuge.
These men and women who lack integrity and can go to any length to act true to character and admonish us on the need to pray while the ship glides inexorably to a stormy weather, have found a willing ally in the BBC.
These is a shame and must not be allowed to stand in civil and sane societies.
I however do not wish to address the argument of Mr Liman's 'experience' as it is irrelevant to the determination of the authenticity of that interview.
Once more, i call on the BBC to investigate the authenticity of that interview thoroughly and be very mindful of its role in present developments in Nigeria, so as not to be tools in the hands of political jobbers and the scum of this clime.

Regards,
-------



THE REST WILL BE MADE PUBLIC IN DUE COURSE.

Ewe, d fight is 4 d fear of d unknown.

This movie is really interesting. . .

I like BEAF's propositions, also mbuela's investigations into the debacle are also encouraging, with these manner of minds there's hope for nigeria

Re: Yar’adua: Saudi Authorities Deny Ministers Landing Clearance
« #4 on: Today at 05:46:09 AM »

I am now strongly convinced that the American Chronicle was correct that Yar Adua died on December 10 last year. Angry Angry Angry Angry imaging keeping the no 1 man for his fellow country member.that means we are in total darkness by unable to have access to our elect president nawa oooooooooooooooo

This is exactly the reason why Yaradua will rather go to a Saudi Hospital than a US or UK Hosipital. . . i imagine if Yaradua was initially admitted to a Hospital in Washington, all these nonsense of "you cant see the dead president" wont have happened

So what are we waiting for?. . .

This is the last straw. . . invoke section 144 of the constitution and let the country God-blessed move on.

the truth is that the dude is probably caput

and his wife is fighting tooth and nail to sustain a lie.

but as is every thing in nature, YOU CANT SUSTAIN A LIE FOR EVER.

its like building on thin air,

a time would come, when the saudi guys will start to feel uncomfortable with the whole saga and start distancing themselves.

thank  God the nation has started moving foward.


from another angle, the yaradua loyalists mite not want to make his condition public (especially to jonathan) , so as to keep him on the edge. cos they figure out that if jonathan knows that his boss is caput, he will be free to carryout his agenda without wondering if the president is alive.

so this is just a tactic by the yaradua loyalists to hold some leverage on the acting president

http://www.pointblanknews.com/os2927.html

ministers have now been given landing clearance

All the things happening to the so-called delegates ministers is really irritating. I wonder why saudi has so much power in keeping the people of Nigeria access to their president. Saudi can never take that s**t. I read that Obama had to be called for obasanjo to see yaradua at a point in time. Another bull. Wonder what they are covering up? Wonder what Saudi is to gain in all these. Makes me ask if Yaradua is dead or alive. Why are the stupid ministers still going there? There are clearly being insulted (which they deserve when all they think of is how much they get paid). I tire for all these. What Nigeria need is to move forward. It is clear that Nigeria does not need Yaradua to move on. Hence my question why they are still going to Saudi. It is clear that Yaradua has abadoned his duties and his country ( who knows, he might be a saudi citizen by now). The next thing they should be talking about is how to get a president in place and not waste money on trying to visit Saudi Yaradua to do some business deals check on Yaradua's health

What is all these hide and seek game for? Can't they impeach this man

yaradua don die teeeeeeeeee teee, lets focus on how to deal with saudi and BBC interview

please i need one person to answer me this my silly question, what does preidents jet still doing in saudi Arab? is presient yaraduall still our president or Turai our first lady? what does ministers going there to do? can't we forget yaraduall and push these country forward

thank God if he returns Today He is no capable of becoming president, so lets go ahead to push this country forward

Alot of u guys are blaming the saudi's for this and i don't think you should. Am a healthcare worker in the states and you don't mess with patient confidentiality. Yar'adua and his wife has probably signed a patient confidentiality agreement that none of his medical information should be released to anyone and that he doesn't want visitors in his room. The saudi's will absolutely carry the patient's wishes because if u don't just like here in the states, u might get sued.
Yar'adua knows why he chose to go to saudi in d first place coz he knows that they can absolutely prevent information from leaking to the press. I bet the saudi's dont have electronic charting because if they did, alot of folks would have been able to have access to former president yar'adua's medical information.
Turai needs to give up and take care of her very sick husband.

johnkent:

Alot of u guys are blaming the saudi's for this and i don't think you should. Am a healthcare worker in the states and you don't mess with patient confidentiality. Yar'adua and his wife has probably signed a patient confidentiality agreement that none of his medical information should be released to anyone and that he doesn't want visitors in his room. The saudi's will absolutely carry the patient's wishes because if u don't just like here in the states, u might get sued.
Yar'adua knows why he chose to go to saudi in d first place coz he knows that they can absolutely prevent information from leaking to the press. I bet the saudi's dont have electronic charting because if they did, alot of folks would have been able to have access to former president yar'adua's medical information.
Turai needs to give up and take care of her very sick husband.

I thought they said he was out of the hospital.

University of ilorin is number in nigeria and number 3 in west africa . and the university of ilorin has the largest campus in africa. find out fact before coming to say silly things.

see for yourself.

guy to invoke section 144 no easyooooo, dats why all this kaka dey fall out

MsTom:

I thought they said he was out of the hospital.

nah, i think his still in d hospital

johnkent:

Alot of u guys are blaming the saudi's for this and i don't think you should. Am a healthcare worker in the states and you don't mess with patient confidentiality. Yar'adua and his wife has probably signed a patient confidentiality agreement that none of his medical information should be released to anyone and that he doesn't want visitors in his room. The saudi's will absolutely carry the patient's wishes because if u don't just like here in the states, u might get sued.
Yar'adua knows why he chose to go to saudi in d first place coz he knows that they can absolutely prevent information from leaking to the press. I bet the saudi's dont have electronic charting because if they did, alot of folks would have been able to have access to former president yar'adua's medical information.
Turai needs to give up and take care of her very sick husband.

With due respect, patient confidentiality or any other privacy laws for that matter do not extend to sovereign states. After God comes the state and Yar Adua by law, is the foremost symbol of the sovereign state of Nigeria.

Privacy laws are for the man on the street; let some goon go about looting, get wounded in a shootout and then see if that will affect the police as an instrument of the state.

Saudi is very rightly in the spotlight.

Beaf:

With due respect, patient confidentiality or any other privacy laws for that matter do not extend to sovereign states. After God comes the state and Yar Adua by law, is the foremost symbol of the sovereign state of Nigeria.

Privacy laws are for the man on the street; let some goon go about looting, get wounded in a shootout and then see if that will affect the police as an instrument of the state.

Saudi is very rightly in the spotlight.

Pt confidentiality is for everyone and the least a hospital can do for a patient is to keep their medical information confidential and only to release the info at the request of the patient.