₦airaland Forum

I ll give it to that psychotic animal - [size=15pt]Paroh_frey[/size]

Yoruba are tribalist, just like their distant Ibo (Jewish!) cousin and their Hausa (Arab) relative.

The 3 major Nigeria tribes dont like each other. Hausa shows their hatred by killing; using religion as a facade. Igbo people use naked armed robbery, selling fake drugs products, and maliciously dominating the economy of the other tribes using mafia style racketerring, blackmail and criminal conspiracy. They see it as a revenge for what they suffered in the civil war. Yoruba on the other hand are more diplomatic and insidious, they pinch you and blow some cool air to ease the pain. Its a jungle among the tribes: dog eat dog.

end of story

@ poster

HOW MUCH DID IBORI, ODILI, AND CORRUPT LEADERS PAY YOU WACKOS TO SPEW YOUR POISON AMONG SANE HUMANS? DEATH AND CURSES VISIT YOU! I AM AFTER YOU AND I KID YOU NOT FOR WHEN YOU CHANGE YOUR FACE AND IDS, I, YOUR NEMESIS WILL ULTIMATELY CATCH UP WITH YOU! SHIT BUTT HOLES!

Do you have any prove of this?

She herself believed in witchcraft and her son became increasingly interested in the subject during the four years before he killed her.

what else to say - terrible

[size=20pt]The Constitution and Jonathan’s dilemma[/size]

The Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 places those who occupy number two positions in precarious situations. Severally, they have been called spare tyres, sidekicks and such derogatory names. This is so because the constitution does not assign specific roles to the Deputy Governor and the Vice President.

In the case of Nigeria’s Vice President, only the administration of President Olusegun Obasanjo gave meaning to that office during its first term, when Vice President Atiku Abubakar was really in charge.

The constitutional provisions are unambiguous, the Vice president is a stand in President in name but he is far too exposed to the perpetual fear among loyalists of his boss who readily play out the insinuation-‘here is the man who is waiting for the death of our man’.

Section 136 of the 1999 Constitution further gives vent to such fears in these words: 136(1): “ If a person duly elected as President dies before taking and subscribing the Oath of Allegiance and oath of office, or is for any reason whatsoever unable to be sworn in, the person elected with him as Vice-President shall be sworn in as President and he shall nominate a new Vice-President who shall be appointed by the President with the approval by a simple majority of the National Assembly at a joint sitting.”

Section 146 also states as follows: 146. (1) The Vice-President shall hold the office of President if the office of President becomes vacant by reason of death or resignation, impeachment, permanent incapacity or the removal of the President from office for any other reason in accordance with section 143 of this Constitution.

(2) Where any vacancy occurs in the circumstances mentioned in subsection (1) of this section during a period when the office of Vice-President is also vacant, the President of the Senate shall hold the office of President for a period of not more than three months, during which there shall be an election of a new President, who shall hold office for the unexpired term of office of the last holder of the office.

Another section that gives a hint of the usefulness of the Vice President is section 144. Which indicates as follows: “ (1) The President or Vice-President shall cease to hold office, if -

(a) by a resolution passed by two-thirds majority of all the members of the executive council of the Federation it is declared that the President or Vice-President is incapable of discharging the functions of his office; and (b) the declaration is verified, after such medical examination as may be necessary, by a medical panel established under subsection (4) of this section in its report to the President of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives.

(2) Where the medical panel certifies in the report that in its opinion
the President or Vice-President is suffering from such infirmity of body or mind as renders him permanently incapable of discharging the functions of his office, a notice thereof signed by the President of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives shall be published in the Official Gazette of the Government of the Federation.

(3) The President or Vice-President shall cease to hold office as from the date of publication of the notice of the medical report pursuant to subsection (2) of this section.

(4) the medical panel to which this section relates shall be appointed by the President of the Senate, and shall comprise five medical practitioners in Nigeria:-

(a) one of whom shall be the personal physician of the holder of the office concerned; and (b) four other medical practitioners who have, in the opinion of the President of the Senate, attained a high degree of eminence in the field of medicine relative to the nature of the examination to be conducted in accordance with the foregoing provisions.

Much of the duties of the Vice president or the deputy governor in the state are at the whims of their bosses who will never cease receiving reports of alleged disloyalty of the number two from the ubiquitous hangers on.

Vice President Goodluck Jonathan is a man who has been in that shoe before now. He was deputy governor in Bayelsa State under governor DSP Alamieyeseigha. He was reputed to have discharged himself as a loyal man until a crack evolved between him and his boss, following the impeachment of the governor and the passage of a resolution by the House of Assembly, compelling the deputy governor to take over.

Even in the midst of that crisis occasioned by Alamieyeseigha’s arrest in London over money laundering charges, Jonathan tried to maintain his innocence to the chagrin of those pushing for the removal of his boss. He was said to have gone incommunicado at the critical stage of the plot against Alamieyeseigha was forced out of his hiding by the search party constituted by former President Olusegun Obasanjo.

Even at that, the former Bayelsa governor, Alamieyeseigha did not believe Jonathan was innocent of the plot that outsted him and saw Jonathan sworn in as governor.

As soon as Alamieyeseigha miraculously re-entered Nigeria after escaping arrest in London, his loyalists were up in arms against his former deputy. A disappointed Jonathan was said to have left the Yenagoa Government House in anger for his Otuoke village home to cool off.

At the end of it all Jonathan emerged the governor following the victory scored by Alamieyeseigha’s traducers in the State’s House of Assembly.

For a man who has gone through that kind of crucible, the last thing that would ordinarily be on his mind is to emerge as deputy to anyone anymore, especially as reports indicated that he was mostly idle while serving Alamieyeseigha.

But fate threw him into that position once again, while he was busy preparing to seek election into the office of the governor in 2007. It would have been his original shot at the governorship seat but the hierarchy of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) summoned him and trusted on him the slot of vice Presidential candidate to Alhaji Umaru Yar’Adua. It would ordinarily appear like an elevation, but to the man in question, it would easily appear a bitter sweet, the slot cannot be rejected, yet the alternative would have been preferred, where you can easily be your own man.

Jonathan has been in this situation since 2007. Insiders in the villa said that the man has this time round vowed that he would do nothing to suggest disloyalty to his boss. He has practically adopted a see no evil and hear no evil approach.

But in the past two years, it cannot be said that the Vice president has been accorded even the right of a spare tyre.

When the president could not attend some international engagements, he found it difficult to assign Jonathan. The candidate has always been the minister of foreign affairs, Chief Ojo Maduekwe, who diplomats say cannot take the position of the head of Government.

In the running of the government, we have seen some unpleasant movements from especially the office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), especially during former Ambassador Babagana Kingibe. The office of the Vice President really was glossed over by the SGF in the days of Kingibe and there were no indication that changes were being effected by the SGF under Alhaji Yayale Ahmed until recent developments cut the ego of that office in government circles.

Since the declaration of the official position of the state of health of President Yar’Adua on Thursday, it is not clear how long the man will stay in the Saudi hospital.

The Vice president has a lot to contend with in Yar’Adua’s absence. How does he deal with the perceived bloated ego of those commonly referred to as members of the Katsina mafia in government?

How does Jonathan deal with those ministers who are used to taking orders directly from the President and those who have been flaunting the “we are in government and in power syndrome since 2007?”

How does he handle briefs from someone like the attorney General of the Federation (AGF) and Minister of Justice, Mr. Mike Aondoakaa, the minister of Agriculture, Dr. Sayyadi Abba Ruma and such functionaries seen as members of the nebulous “kitcken cabinet”?

No matter how long the President stays in the hospital, it is clear that the Vice president will remain in charge. But how does he contend with the ever suspicious forces within and outside the villa? How does he handle the levers of power in a way that he will not be easily branded a power hungry deputy? These are the challenges Jonathan will content with in the days of Yar’Adua’s absence.

Sunday Tribune reliably gathered from sources very close to the president that he was on line from the hospital to some political leaders, specifically three serving governors on Saturday.

He was said to have assured them that he was responding well to treatment and would soon return to the country. Though the schedule of the president’s return was not clear as at press time, it was learnt that he may return early hours of Monday or Tuesday.

http://www.tribune.com.ng/29112009/news/news1.html

[size=15pt]Call for all Super Puma helicopters to be groundedSara Dixon
Recommend? [/size]

UNION leaders have called for all North Sea Super Puma helicopters to be grounded after an accident report blamed a “catastrophic” gearbox failure for a crash that claimed the lives of 16 people.

Two crew and 14 passengers on board a Super Puma helicopter ferrying people to BP’s Miller platform off the Aberdeenshire coast died when it broke apart mid-flight.

A report by the Air Accidents Investigation Branch (AAIB) found the helicopter’s main rotor detached from the aircraft, severing the helicopter’s tail, because of a faulty gearbox.

The Rail Maritime and Transport Union (RMT) has called for all Super Pumas with the same gearboxes to be grounded.

Related Links
Call for all Super Pumas to be grounded
Cost-cutting warnings days ahead of North Sea crash
Union leader Bob Crow also urged members who were worried about the safety of helicopters not to fly.

He said: “A full inspection should take place before our members are absolutely satisfied that these Super Pumas are safe to fly on the shores of Aberdeen.

“As far as we are concerned we are saying to our members, if you do not feel safe about going in these Puma helicopters then you should refuse to work on the grounds of health and safety.”

The accident report recommends the rotor gearbox of all craft of the same model are inspected and that the helicopter’s manufacturers, Eurocopter, carry out “additional inspections” of the rotor.

In the report, the AAIB says: “Examination of the wreckage indicates that the accident occurred following a catastrophic failure of the main rotor gearbox.

“This resulted in the detachment of the main rotor head from the helicopter and was rapidly followed by main rotor blade strikes on the pylon and tail boom, which became severed from the fuselage.”

BP has said it will not use the aircraft again until the safety checks were complete.

The Super Puma was operating a scheduled passenger flight when it crashed on April 1.

At 1.54pm the co-pilot made a routine call 12 seconds later one of the pilots issued a mayday call.

Air traffic controllers tried unsuccessfully to contact the aircraft, before asking the crew of another helicopter in the area to examine an area based on the Super Puma’s last radar position.

An eyewitness working on a supply vessel heard the helicopter and saw it come down before it hit the sea.

The bodies of all the victims have all been recovered, eight of them came from the north east of Scotland, seven from the rest of the UK, and one from Latvia.

A memorial service for those who died is to be held on Wednesday in Aberdeen.

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/uk/article6078035.ece

God forgive us our sins

[size=15pt]Man Kills Own Mum - After Accusing Her Of Being A Witch[/size]

28.11.2009

A divorced father of three stabbed his mother 21 times after becoming convinced that she was a witch and had put a curse on him, a court in Britain heard on Friday.

Kayode Kuye reportedly tortured and killed Christina Kuye, 69, because he believed she had ruined his life with a black magic spell, the Old Bailey was told. Unemployed Kuye, 50, of Edmonton, north London, pleaded guilty to manslaughter on the grounds of diminished responsibility.

The judge, Christopher Moss, ordered him locked up indefinitely under mental health laws and described it as a “brutal” killing.

Kuye reportedly attacked his mother after letting himself into her home in Finchley, north London, with a key in May last year, the court heard.

After a lengthy argument, he stabbed her 21 times to the upper body, also slashing her arms and hands as she tried to defend herself.

He was later arrested covered in blood at Finchley Central station, laughing as he said: “I have had an argument with my mother.”

Policemen forced their way into her home where they found her body in her bedroom.

Kuye later told psychiatrists that his purpose was “to torture his mother to try to prevent her from continuing what he perceived to be black magic upon him,” said Alan Kent, prosecuting officer.

Mr. Kent said: “The motivation behind his attack was his paranoid and deluded belief that his mother had cursed him through witchcraft and had ruined his life.”
Mrs. Kuye came to Britain from Nigeria in 1961 with her husband, who died in 1984. She had eight children, including the defendant, and 20 grandchildren.

She herself believed in witchcraft and her son became increasingly interested in the subject during the four years before he killed her.

His mother helped him get in touch with a witch doctor she knew in Nigeria and he would send him money “for advice and medicine,” the court heard.

Two years before the killing, he began to blame her for all his problems, saying she had “sacrificed him as a child and had put a curse on him.”

He believed that “he was a king and should be rich, but the curse prevented this from happening.”

For about a year before his mother’s death, he had been saying he was going to kill her, as well as other family members.

On the day of the stabbing, he had been “ranting and raving” at his former wife and told her that “he had to go and do what he had to do,” the court heard.

http://www.tribune.com.ng/28112009/news/news5.html

hmm, or we shouldn't blame Obasanjo, but those who planted him in the first place.
IBB perhaps?

Oil account for over 90% of our earnings, investment in that area should be first class. The aircraft are needed for surveillance in Niger Delta, this is critical for safety and security. The people who make the decision knew they are not going to ride the aircraft.

Few years ago, our house of assembly awarded billions of Naira to themself - they bought brand new cars. None of them dare suggested a tokunbo.

The issue is not to resign or not. Other countries have sick president that are not forced out.
Firstly, What is the constitutional position?
lets follow the law

i dont see anything bad in buying fairly used helicopter inasmuch as they are in good shape, afterall many of us buy tokunbo cars that are still in very good shape, and would have lasted longer if not for the bad roads we have in nigeria.besides, many hercules aircraft being used by US have been in existence since the 1950's, and that has not dettered US from using them, check out the ages of the space ships too,

Technology moves very fast; flying object is a piece of delicate equipment that moves with tech. Every developed country has a rigorous safety policy. Some of the reasons they would sell their used aircraft: its an old piece of shit and has been decommission, new technology has made it a legacy, it has problem, it not airworthy and does not conform to a tough safety regime. Nobody would sell his aircraft that is working perfectly, for cheap.

In abroad, even taxi drivers buy brand new cars and their business is design to pay for itself and make profit. If well design and maintain, Nigeria could buy a brand new aircraft that would pay for itself and even make profit. Poverty and corruption have turn Nigerians into psychotics. Last time some government officials were accused of buying second hand cloths for flood victims.

Nigeria has no safety policy, no maintenance culture, nothing. My sympathy is with those poor folk who will ride in that flying coffins

no big deal

Naija
its a jungle out there; dog eat cat.

ogini, is this the real president or a photocopy?

Some Igbo people are suffering from identity crises, they dont know who they are.

Nigeria is all we have, you cant hate what you have.
monkey no fine, but him mama like am

realy? YOU WILL BE THE FIRST TO SHOUT IF THEY BOUGHT NEW AIRCRAFTS.

its OK, let them buy tokunbo
The aircraft engine comes from Albania , plane wings from Yugoslavia , repair engineers - Russia, etc. At the end of the day what you ll get is not an aircraft but a flying coffin.

If you buy Tokunbo aircraft, you ll get tokunbo service.

Yarasick would appreciate how much Nigerians love him

kwara indigenes don kolo

They should be buying brand new aircraft
Tokunbo aircraft - its disgraceful

Aondoakaa is the minister of injustice, honourable protector of all looters of public fund and 419 in Nigeria.
To believe Aondoakaa is to believe a Yoruba with multiple credit cards on the street of london.

[size=18pt]Aondoakaa: I Spoke with Yar’Adua on Phone
[/size]
11.26.2009

The Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Micheal Aondoakaa (SAN), has affirmed that the President and Commander in Chief of The Federal Republic of Nigeria, Alhaji Umaru Musa Yar’Adua, is hale and hearty. A statement from the office of the AGF signed by his Special Assistant, Honourable Onov Tyuulugh, yesterday evening noted: "We have received with great shock and dismay the rumours making the rounds about the state of health of Mr. President and wish to state that the President has gone to Saudi Arabia for routine medical check." He said it is normal for the President to embark on routine medical trip and to also go on vacation, stressing that it is unfortunate that cynics always read meanings to the movement of the president, especially, whenever he travels outside the country. Aondoakaa, who came into the country, yesterday from an official trip to Trinidad and Tobago on the instruction of the President, noted that he is in constant touch with Mr. President in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. He added: “What we need in Nigeria today is to be focused and wish the President well”. He noted that the President is committed to the well being of the citizenry, adding: “He is due back in the country as soon as he completes his medical check up and short vacation, in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.”

http://www.thisdayonline.com/nview.php?id=160760

its a jungle out there

All Nigerian police are recommended for national award
una do well

FG to Buy 5 Surveillance Helicopters for N’Delta


•Muhtar explains purchase of four new presidential aircraft
From George Oji in Abuja, 11.26.2009

The Federal Government yesterday approved the sum of €68.6 million for the purchase of five helicopters for the aerial surveillance and reconnaissance of the Niger Delta region. The helicopters would also be used for air support for Nigerian troops in peace-keeping operations. Information and Communications Minister, Professor Dora Akunyili, who disclosed this while briefing State House correspondents at the end of yesterday’s Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting, stated that the five fairly used Supa Puma helicopters are to be purchased from France on “government-to-government” basis. The minister further disclosed the council approved contract for the procurement of a fast patrol craft for the Nigerian Navy to facilitate effective patrol of the Nigerian maritime borders and Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ). The contract is for an additional one upgraded 17m Manta, MK 111 ASD Fast Patrol Craft in the sum of $8.8million. Meanwhile, Finance Mini-ster, Dr. Mansur Muhtar, has explained the proposed purchase of additional four aircraft for the presidential air fleet, noting that government’s action was part of phased replacement of aged aircrafts in the fleet. The four aircraft are estimated to cost the Federal Government $210 million. There are currently eight aircraft in the presidential air fleet and some of them are as old as 18 years. Muhtar also explained that contrary to public perception, they are not for the President’s personal use but for other top serving Federal Government officials, including the Senate President and Speaker of the House of Representatives. The minister, who was speaking at the end of yesterday’s FEC meeting said: “Well, we have to do this as part of a phased replacement of the aircraft in the Presidential Air Fleet. Essentially, what is happening is that we have received a proposal in the course of the budget discussion, in fact, as part of ongoing discussion which started last year. As far back as last year, there were plans to replace some of the planes that have really been costing so much to maintain. “You know as old the planes are, it has become quite prohibitive to maintain. So you have to weigh in relative term whether it is not more cost effective and efficient to consider buying a new fleet of aircraft or to continue to maintain them. It is in this context that we decided to phase these over a period. “So part of this money some deposit was made in 2009 just to secure a slot, a small amount of N100 million was made to secure a slot because you have to order these aircraft in advance. Because last year we could not make adequate budgetary provision but this small amount was paid so that we will be able to have two aircrafts delivered in 2010 and the remaining two will be delivered in 2011 and 2012 as we continue to make budgetary allocation. So we are concerned over our tight budgeting systems so we have to spread this over a period of three years. “I have to clarify also that these aircraft are not going to be used by the President but what is happening basically is that it is being operated as a fleet and it is being deployed appropriately to serve other purposes, especially serving principal officers of the Federal Government including, as the case may be, the Senate President and the Speaker of the House of Representatives. So we need to have that operational flexibility to be able to deploy these aircrafts. That is now be coordinated by the National Security Adviser; and that explains why it is coming under the Presidential fleet, under their vote.” Muhtar also said the Federal Government had given pass mark to 11 ministries for recording about 80 per cent performance level in their implementation of the 2009 budget. He further disclosed that the remaining 20 ministries recorded an average of 50 per cent. Said Muhtar: “I want to set the record and put things in perspective in terms of the progress that has been recorded, even as at the end of October we talked about 50 per cent utilisation rate, but to put things in context if we look at ministries, departments and agencies we have at least 11 ministries that have scored between 70-80 per cent in terms of execution. “We are making a lot of progress and I think also in looking at budget execution we should look at both recurrent and capital, and in recurrent we have made considerable progress 80 or 90 per cent in some instances. For health, education and social sector, most of the spending that is geared towards improving people’s lives is in recurrent spending in terms of supplies to schools, medical supplies, salaries to teachers etc, and we are doing very well in these areas”. The minister further disclosed that overall, “to put things in perspective we have not done badly and I think the budget proposal that has been tabled before the national assembly will enable us to deploy resources to areas where projects are not moving to other areas where we could make a difference. We are also very delighted that the national assembly has indicated its willingness to allow capital in, so the spending could continue through to the first quarter. We are delighted with the decision and we are very supportive of this as it will allow us to deliver on the promise that this administration has made. “We did a bit of a challenge in respect to the power sector because of the delays associated with the rainy season but now things have picked up considerably as you can see from the reports. Another area where we had a bit of a challenge was in power, but here it’s contributed by the fact we have a lot of spending in the area that is funded through the international integrated power project. “The delays were experienced because of the Power Holding, the distribution companies, decentralisation challenges and all of this has now been addressed by a lots L.Cs that have been opened to allow work to progress. “We are not relenting on our effort. We are taking additional measures to strengthen performance and obviously as indicated in the past, every month we dedicate a session of the council to consideration of budget performance across the different ministries and that has helped put everyone on their toes.”

http://www.thisdayonline.com/nview.php?id=160764

[size=8
17pt]Yar’Adua: AC recommends medical tests for presidential aspirants
[/size]
Ishola Michael, Bauchi - 26.11.2009

THE Action Congress (AC) has rec ommended that politicians, who are aspiring to become president of the country, must undergo medical tests to confirm their health status before assuming office.

This, it said, would prevent the situation the country currently faced over the health status of President Umaru Yar’Adua, who is currently in Saudi Arabia, receiving medical attention.

The chairman of the Bauchi State chapter of the party, Danladi Jaja, on Wednesday, made the recommendation, following reports that President Yar’Adua, on Monday, travelled to Saudi Arabia for treatment, again.

Jaja said in view of the anxiety created by the health of the president and his frequent trips for treatment abroad, any politician who failed the test should be disqualified and declared unfit to run for the office.

He lamented that it was only in a country like Nigeria that a president, who was not medically fit, could occupy such exalted office. “Since the leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) knew that Yar’Adua was not fit to be president in the first place, they should not have allowed him to contest.

“We are just trying to show the world that we are different from other Africa countries. Most African countries are more reasonable, they know what is good and they go for it unlike in Nigeria,” he said.

http://www.tribune.com.ng/26112009/news/news22.html

very terrible

The Federal Executive Council on Wednesday approved a contract for the purchase of five units of fairly used Sups Puma SA 330 SM helicopters from France for the Nigerian Army.

The €68.6m ,


http://www.punchontheweb.com/Artic.aspx?theartic=Art2009112615481085

[size=17pt]Rumour of Yar’Adua’s death rocks Saudi - Saudi radio says ‘president is alive’ - VP, Mark, Bankole in crucial meeting in Aso Rock - As Speaker cancels Sallah holiday - Anxiety grips Nigerians
[/size]
From Biola Azeez (Saudi Arabia), Dapo Falade and Taiwo Adisa - 26.11.2009

FOR the umpteenth time, the rumour mill was, on Wednesday, agog that the Nigerian President, Alhaji Umaru Yar’Adua, might have passed on at an unnamed hospital in Saudi Arabia. The rumour started from Saudi Arabia, where the president had gone for medical checkup since Monday.

As early as 5.00 a.m, series of telephone calls started coming from all parts of the country and from all kinds of people who were anxious to know the true state of health of the ailing president.

The president had, before his electoral victory and his inauguration in May 2007, been embarking on medical trips abroad, particularly to Saudi Arabia. The president, who himself disclosed that he had a kidney problem, spent about two weeks at a Saudi hospital in August 2008.

President Yar’Adua, on Monday, left the country and was admitted to a hospital in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, for another round of medical tests. Demonstrating the level of anxiety on the present state of health of the president, an anonymous text message from a Nigerian currently performing the yearly pilgrimage to Mekkah disclosed that the rumour of the president’s death had spread to Jeddah.

According to the text message, the rumour became rife on Tuesday night, with many Nigerians becoming apprehensive about the state of the health of the president.

According to the text message, Nigerians were seen gathering in groups, discussing and praying for, the president. One of the special advisers to the wife of the president, Hajia Turai Yar’Adua, according to the report, was said to have immediately left Muna in Saudi Arabia and headed straight for the hospital, where the president was admitted, at around 7.00 p.m (Nigerian time) on Wednesday.The rumour and speculations about the state of the health of the president were further heightened by the refusal of many of his aides to give information about what was really happening to him.

While his Special Adviser on Media, Mr. Olusegun Adeniyi, only disclosed that the president was away “for follow-up medical checks,” the Minister of Information and Communications, Professor Dora Akunyili, refused to speak to newsmen about the development.

Yar’Adua, on arrival at the King Abdulaziz International Airport, Jeddah, on Tuesday, was said to have been admitted to an unnamed hospital same day with the doctor who attended to him refusing to disclose what was happening on the ground, that he was not permitted to do so.

While the state of health of the president remained an official secret, information available to the Nigerian Tribune revealed that activities at the nation’s seat of power, Abuja, were at the lowest ebb Wednesday evening.

The usual human traffic, which was the hallmark of governance at Aso Rock, was said to have been significantly reduced, with the Vice-President, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan, visibly absent.

Frantic phone calls to the ‘appropriate quarters’ met a brickwall, as none of the people contacted could ascertain the true state of health of the president. However, one of the senators from the South-West who spoke with the Nigerian Tribune on condition of anonymity, said that though he heard the rumour, he could not confirm whether the president was dead or alive.

One of the Nigerian pilgrims currently in Jeddah called to confirm that it was true that the rumour was rife in Saudi Arabia that Yar’Adua was dead, but was quick to add that the special adviser to Turai, who left Muna, had called some few minutes later to inform them the president was alive. Also, some Nigerian pilgrims said Saudi Arabia also aired it on a radio station that the president was alive.

Meanwhile, it was confirmed on Wednesday afternoon that some top level consultations were ongoing among the nation’s top leaders, with Vice-President Jonathan, President of the Senate, Mr. David Mark; Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Dimeji Bankole, and some high-ranking officials said to have held a meeting to review information available to them.

It was gathered that the leaders were in touch with the Saudi hospital, where the resident is receiving treatment. A source in government said that the president’s situation might have been exaggerated, but, added that the president needed the prayer of all.

It was gathered that the meeting by Mark and Bankole was aimed at ensuring that the top government functionaries were well briefed on the situation on the ground.

It was gathered that the top officials wore no long faces after the consultations. A source said that “the whole environment of government is sluggish. Something is happening but you don’t expect everybody to be cheerful when the president is sick.”

It was gathered that Vice-President Jonathan briefed the top leaders on the health situation of his boss and assured them that all will be well. He was also said to have asked the leaders to pray for the nation’s number one man and for the country at this moment.

Besides Jonathan, Mark and Bankole, top security chiefs were also said to have attended the meeting, including some top citizens who were said to have been involved with the president as external security advisers.

As a result of the Wednesday meeting, it was gathered that Bankole, who had given notice of his trip to Lagos and Abeokuta for the Sallah break, had cancelled the trip and may remain in Abuja throughout the holiday.

Mark was also said to have returned to his Apo Mansion, his official residence, at bout 5.30p:m on Wednesday. Sources close to the Senate, also, confirmed that the president was still alive. The Senate leadership was said to have contacted the Aide De Camp (ADC) of President Yar’Adua over the condition of his boss. The ADC, it was said, assured the Senate leadership that he was in constant touch with those in Saudi Arabia, that the president had successfully gone through all the tests and was in a stable condition.

Given the frequency of the foreign medical trips of the frail-looking president, the opposition had been clamouring for a public disclosure of his state of health, declaring that he was not strong enough to discharge his official responsibilities.

However, the Senate spokesman, Mr. Ayogu Eze, has dismissed such a call, as he declared that there was nothing to worry about in respect of the president’s frequent foreign medical trips and declared that his state of health was a constitutional matter.


http://www.tribune.com.ng/26112009/news/news1.html