THISDAY has confirmed that President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua, who has not been seen in public since taking ill in November last year, met with close friends, associates and clerics on Tuesday night and also yesterday evening at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

On Tuesday, he met with his businessman friend, Alhaji Dahiru Manga; a member of the House of Representatives representing the Faskari Constituency, Hon. Inuwa Shehu Imam; and Governor Isa Yuguda of Bauchi State, who is his son-in-law.

Yesterday, he met with four Islamic clerics – the Chief Imam of the Abuja National Mosque Ustaz Musa Mohammed; leader of the Izala Muslim sect in Katsina State, Sheik Yakubu Musa; Sheik Isa Pantami; and the President of the Supreme Council of Sharia in Nigeria (SCSN), Sheik Ibrahim Datti Ahmed.

The four clerics were said to have offered prayers for his health as well as for the nation in these “trying times”.
A source close to the family said it would still take “a few more weeks” for the president to be “fully ready” as he recuperates from his illness which saw him hospitalised for three months at the King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Centre in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.

“For now,” the source said, “he will only meet with friends and associates as he recuperates from his illness. He has decided not to meet with any state official in an official capacity for now. When he finally decides to do so, he will start with the leadership of the National Asse-mbly.”

No timeframe was given by the source, but he was confident the president would be back to his seat “possibly next month”.
It was also not clear when the president will meet with Acting President Goodluck Jonathan who has been holding fort since Yar’Adua took ill.

The Chief Imam of the Abuja National Mosque arrived a little late at the mosque for the sunset prayers but apologised and explained to the faithful that he had gone in company with three other Muslim clerics to see President Yar’Adua in Aso Rock.
He told worshippers after the prayers that on their arrival at the Villa, the clerics were ushered in to see the president who was seated with his wife, Turai, with his Aide-de-Camp (ADC), Col. Mustapha Onoyiveta.

The Imam said President Yar’Adua stretched out his hand and shook everyone of them. Yar’Adua was also said to have joined them in prayers, raising his hands in supplication.

When the prayers ended and they rose to leave, according to the Imam, Yar’Adua shook their hands again. This was a few minutes after 6pm yesterday.
Significantly, though, the president was not quoted as saying anything, confirming early reports that he was yet to fully regain his voice although he is believed to be undergoing speech therapy.

Uztaz Mohamed repeated his story at the 8pm prayers last night and expressed displeasure at the way the health of the president has been portrayed in the media.