[size=14pt]Senators ‘Unaware of Yar’Adua’s Return’[/size]
From Sufuyan Ojeifo in Abuja, 02.25.2010

Chairman of the Senate Committee on Solid Minerals, George Thompson Sekibo (PDP, Rivers East) said yesterday that the Senate was not aware that President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua is back in the country to resume his duties.

He stated: “We will not act on rumours because there have been so many rumours in the country and our resolution (empowering Vice-President Goodluck Jonathan to step in as Acting President, pending the return of Yar’Adua from his medical vacation) is very clear.”

The Senate had, in its January 27, 2010 resolution, required Yar’Adua to transmit or inform it via a written declaration whenever he was back in the country from his vacation.

Senator Festus Olabode Ola (AC, Ekiti Central) said that the National Assembly was still expecting a formal letter from Yar’Adua.
He said: “We saw that in the newspapers that the President is back but we did not do anything about that because it is expected that if he comes back we should be officially informed by a letter to the National Assembly.”

Vice-Chairman of the Senate Committee on Capital Market, Mohammed Bello (ANPP, Kano Central), declared that the Senate resolution was not ambiguous.
According to him, “Our resolution is clear and non-ambiguous; it was clear that when he returns (and) he transmits a letter to the National Assembly that he is ready to resume work.  We are yet to receive any such letter.”

Chairman of the Senate Committee on State and Local Government Affairs, Sahabi Alhaji Yau (ANPP, Zamfara North), said: “We are not aware that Yar’Adua is back.”
Smart Adeyemi (PDP, Kogi West) said: “I am not aware that the President is back because as a Senator I know that there are procedures and if the President is back it should be announced on the floor of the Senate that the President is back. I am not aware that the President is back.

“I want to believe that there must be a procedure for us to know that the President is back; so, I don’t know if the President is back. 
“But you are telling me that the President is back; we are happy that our President is back and we hope that he will follow all the provisions that are required in getting the Senate to know.”

Adeyemi added: “There is a President in place now and as far as the Senate is concerned, we had a resolution; we have an Acting President in place and if the President is back and he is to take over the mantle of leadership, we are happy but we should know the procedure.

“There are procedures of taking over and if the President is back we should know that the President is back; I don’t want to believe as a Senator that the President is back and I will read on the pages of newspapers; there are procedures that should be respected that our President is back.

“We are happy he is back, but I don’t know in concrete terms that the President is back until there is a communication to the Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. For now there is no communication to us that the President is back.”

http://www.thisdayonline.com/nview.php?id=167263

If the NASS is not officially aware of the presence of Yar'adua in Nigeria, the NASS should investigate the ongoing rumour and if found correct that Yar'adua is actually in the country, NASS should add the action to his impeachable offences. Period.

NASS, you are wasting time on this impeachment thing. Do something now before something do you!