Breaking News, President Umaru Musa Yar’ AduaPresident Umaru Musa Yar’Adua is dead, THISDAY can confirm. He passed on earlier this night between 9.30 and 10pm

He has been battling acute pericaditis, an inflammation of the membrane around the heart, since November last year for which he received treatment at the King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Centre in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.

He was brought back to the country under the cover of darkness in February and since then had been held incommunicado.

He will be buried tomorrow.

A meeting is going on at present at the Presidential Villa.

Acting President Goodluck Jonathan to be sworn in shortly.

Details later.

[size=18pt]Yar'Adua's Brain Dead --El-Rufai[/size]
5 May 2010

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Lagos — Former Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Mallam Nasir El-Rufai was yesterday said he decided to return home, because President Umaru Yar'Adua's brain is damaged and he is incapacitated.

El-Rufai who was quizzed by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) yesterday and granted administrative bail on recognition, stated this in an interview with the Eurasia Review, an online publication.

Asked about the factors which led to his coming home, he said: "Well I have actually always wanted to return, and these two years of forced exile have been very challenging, to be so far away from my family, my friends, and my country. I had originally planned to return last December, however as you will recall the country suffered a vacuum of leadership and period of uncertainty before Acting President Goodluck Jonathan had been appointed."

Part of the interview ran: Are you planning to run for president or for any other office?

I believe that it's pre-mature to speak with much certainty about that, and I can confirm that I have not made any decision regarding candidacy for any office. I am, however, committed to playing a role along with others to help my country elect the most capable and worthy individuals, and to contribute to the public service sector through my ongoing work with civil society and youth groups.

Are you worried about your personal safety?

Yes, of course, but this is no different from any other time I have had to worry about security, and anyways such matters are quite outweighed by the urgency of other problems we must address in Nigeria. In my case, the person behind my persecution was President Yar'Adua and rent-seekers within his inner circle. The President is still alive, but is almost completely incapacitated and brain-damaged from his illness, unable to stand, to speak, or to demonstrate coherent reason - this is what has been confirmed by the clerics who have visited him, and no one is disputing his state of health."

Meanwhile, El-Rufai who was quizzed for several hours by the EFCC, is expected to shed light on the disappearance of about N32 billion realised from the sale of Federal Government houses which he supervised as FCT Minister, a media consultant to the commission, Muyiwa Adekeye, hinted that the amount involved may have been slashed.

He said El-Rufai was expected to provide answers that linked him only to the disappearance of about N1.6 billion realised from the sale.

However, there are indications that Jonathan's interest on the fate of El-Rufai may have informed the slashing of the amount to enable him achieve easy clearance.

It was also gathered that the Presidency had ordered the commission not to detain El-Rufai but question him and allow him to return to his home against treatment meted out to other past government officials, including governors, who were arrested, questioned and detained by the commission before being charged before the court.

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Though the EFCC was said to have been ordered to dwell more on land issues against financial mess allegedly left behind by El-Rufai at the commission, it was learnt that an auditors report dated August 9, 2005 from the Abuja Geographical Information System Agency linked the former minister to financial misappropriation.

The audit report was signed by Mr. M.C. Adebisi for the Auditor-General of the Federation.

The report read in part: "The AGIS in contravention of the provision of existing Treasury circulars and financial Regulations failed to install and maintain a proper system of accounts. Virtually all the internal check measures were not observed in preparation of payment vouchers as the following lapses were observed.

"Most of the payment vouchers were not receipted contrary to the provisions of Financial Regulations.

"Payment vouchers had no departmental numbers and treasury number."

krendo:

Does this news have anything to do with this revelation earlier today?

Who decided that it time up let us switch off the life support machine?

Who gave interview to the BBC?

Who signed the Budget in December?

Somebody must go to prison for all these!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

mekusxxx:

This man was led to his death by ObJ, the great king-kong of Yorubaland.

krendo:

Was Yar'adua dragged out in a chain to run?

He was an adult who chose to run.

funkybaby:

Sad ! He must have known he was suffering from a terminal disease.

He denied himself to live the last days of his life in peace and dignity thanks to personal greed, an overly ambitious wife and OBJ.

Hope he gets the ''state funeral'' that the family has been craving for !

OgidiBoy:

Anyone have any idea who President Jonathan would pick to be his vice ? Won't it be just a blow to the stomach to the Northerners if he picks someone from the South East