Written by SaharaReporters, New York

The sudden return of Umaru Yar’Adua to Nigeria in the early hours of this morning, which is now being referred to in Abuja as the “Turai coup d’etat,” was long in coming. Saharareporters had reported persistently that Turai Yar’Adua and her husband’s core political associates and so-called “kitchen cabinet” were afraid of permanently losing power, and the longer Yar’Adua remained sick, the more obvious that reality became. The key plotters of Yar’Adua’s audacious midnight “return” to Abuja, as earlier reported by Saharareporters, are Hajia Turai; James Ibori, the former Delta State Governor; Tanimu Kurfi, Yar’Adua’s Chief Economic Adviser; Adamu Aliero, the Minister for the Federal Capital Territory; and Gen. Sarki Mukhtar(rtd) the National Security Adviser.

The plan involved securing oil blocks allocation to the Chinese government and another gas deal with Russia. While Yar’adua was away, the hawks succeeded in getting him to “sign” the national Appropriation Bill and also succeeded in approving oil-lifting contracts in December 2009

Although, Yar’adua’s return was carried out by members of the Kitchen cabinet, facts are now emerging as to how the Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lieutenant General Abdulrahman Bello Dambazau, was co-opted into the deal that saw the deployment of two battalions in Abuja last night. According to a petition sighted by Saharareporters, the COAS, through the Ministry of Defence, had awarded “Peacekeeping” contracts worth N9 billion to fictitious companies reportedly owned by James Ibori, an Isreali arms supplier, Alon Neiken (the owner of Megaplaza in Lagos) and himself (Dambazau). Four companies: HIS Nigeria, Nurit International, Yommy Logistics, Mass International, Arsenal International and M-2 International, were reportedly involved in the scandalous contract.

Yar’Adua’s core loyalists from the office of the NSA used the petition to confront Dambazau, it had been submitted to the EFCC and copied, to the NSA last Monday. The team with their knowledge of the peacekeeping contracts blackmailed him. Dambazua, a Lieutenant General in the Nigerian Army, reportedly objected to earlier calls to take over power and fought back initially. But he soon gave in and started taking orders from Yar’Adua’s ADC, Mustapha Onoedieva and an army infantry colonel, to deploy troops without question. Neither Goodluck Jonathan, neither the DG of State Security Services nor the Inspector-General of Police knew what was going on.

Since Yar’Adua’s return to Nigeria this morning, members of the kitchen cabinet have engaged in several manoeuvres as a way of moving forward. They include trying to dissolve the cabinet today, but that plot was shelved because they knew that would be impossible without Yar’Adua putting up a physical appearance to explain himself to the nation or approach the Nigerian Senate to approve of new ministers.

Saharareporters had reported that Yar’Adua’s return would mean that he will “go to sleep” upon arrival while his minions figure out what to do about him. That situation has not necessarily changed, given all the trouble Team Turai has taken to ensure nobody meets sees Yar’adua in the foreseeable future, if anyone ever does. The residence where Yar’adua lie comatose has been medically fortified and secured by Nigerian soldiers and access is highly restricted. Our sources said several medical doctors imported from Saudi Arabia would manage Yar’adua’s so-called “recuperation”. There is no timeline for how long this would last but sources said it will be on for as long as the associates to hold the farce in place.

Meanwhile, Saharareporters has learned that the sudden return of Yar’Adua was as a result of the decision of the Saudi authorities to minimize the diplomatic pressure that his indefinite stay in the Kingdom was inflicting on them.

Also, Yar’Adua’s wife chose to move him out of Jeddah yesterday because some of the Ministers visiting the kingdom were insisting on seeing him, going through the Saudi government. Sources in Saudi Arabia told Saharareporters that Turai had contacted the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ojo Maduekwe, to delay the trip and re-route the six-ministers to Riyadh first.

That was contrary to the original plan of the Federal Executive Council for the six-man team first to visit Yar’Adua in Jeddah, and then make a “Thank You” visit to the King of Saudi Arabia before returning home. Maduekwe, playing his part in Turai’s script, connived with Aviation officials at the Presidency to delay the trip by one day. By the next day and to the utter shock of the other cabinet ministers who took the decision to send the team to Saudi Arabia, Maduekwe had unilaterally changed both the mission of the team and its itinerary.

Meanwhile, the time Maduekwe had bought for Team Turai was being taken advantage of. Thus, by the time the FEC delegation arrived in Saudi Arabia, Turai had succeeded in packaging Yar’Adua into an air ambulance and left for Abuja. The Ministers—besides Maduekwe—were shocked, and found themselves scampering back to Nigeria early this morning.

Yar’Adua’s arrival was a dramatic display of desperation and power-grab by his wife and 10 other acolytes who have vowed never to allow Goodluck Jonathan to be President even for one day.
Their plan is to use Yar’Adua’s “presence” to commit as a trump card to ensure that Jonathan’s tenure does not gain any traction, and it has not escaped Nigerians that this morning’s statement by the presidency did not once refer to Jonathan in his acting capacity. An e-mail heralding Yar’Adua’s return, which was sent by Turai and partly written in Hausa to his foot soldiers shows that she was having difficulties reaching some of them. This is probably because she had announced to them that her ticket to power and privilege, Yar’Adua, would be back in 10 days, but she was six days early!

Several sources in Abuja have told Saharareporters that the game has changed and that Turai has fully taken charge of the government, a situation that seems confirmed by Jonathan’s announcement that she will meet with her this evening. Our sources also say that she is on a mission of vengeance and her co-kitchen cabinet members are no longer hiding their confidence and pre-eminence. And to demonstrate their confidence, the former Attorney General of the Federation, Michael Aondokaa, is said to be returning from self-exile in a matter of days, a kitchen cabinet source told Saharareporters.

Tension is high amongst government ministers as rumors circulate that their replacement would happen in the fullness of time.

Meanwhile, no one has seen or heard from Yar’Adua officially since his secretive return early this morning except the snippet of controlled information passed on to diplomats claiming that Yar’Adua was only resting because of the long flight and another group claiming that they saw him walk into the Ambulance or descend from the air Ambulance by himself.

The National Assembly is keeping mum as to how they interprete Yar’Adua’s return in view f their resolutions installing Jonathan as **Acting President, but a highly-placed lawmaker told Saharareporters that Yar’adua’s return early today was to disrupt the Wednesday FEC meeting that might have declared him incapacitated if he had not returned.

Tensions are understandably high in government circles, with the definite possibility of a coup in the air. Several Saharareporters sources seem to feel the tension, as they speak in whispers. But a military coup, as opposed to today’s civilian version by Turai, could be expensive for Nigeria. Niger Delta militants and some Igbo groups told Saharareporters today that should they hear those two words, “Fellow Nigerians,” by which coups are usually announced, they may not be a part of Nigeria as it is currently known.

Constitutionally speaking, who is Turai that will be interfering with the affairs of this great nation? It is just unfortunate that Nigerians give more regards to illegalities than the constitution. The earlier she is snubbed, the better for our polity.

Lol..I'm glad that Turai's coup never succeeded. I wonder where the so-called Kitchen cabinet members are now?

While Turai was planning coup, Jonathan and Sheppopo were in Turai kitchen making cassava bread.

simpleseyi: While Turai was planning coup, Jonathan and Sheppopo were in Turai kitchen making cassava bread.

Lol!