PRESIDENT UMARU YARADUA
I know this is a really long post and all but trust me its a good read or better still jup to the buttom of this post and read what GidiNoize thinks.
The Special Adviser to President Umaru Yar’Adua on National Assembly Matters, Senator Muhammed Abba-Aji, on Thursday claimed that Nigerian government officials and others interested in visiting ailing President Umaru Yar’Adua in Saudi Arabia could not do so because the Saudi Arabian royal family was in charge of his protocol and security arrangements. Abba-Aji, who spoke with State House correspondents, also said he was sure that Yar’Adua would comply with the Senate resolution that he should transmit a letter to the National Assembly on the handover of power to Vice-President Goodluck Jonathan. He explained that the Saudi royal family’s handling of the President’s protocol and security arrangement was borne out of the fact that a section of King Faisal Specialist Hospital in Jeddah, where Yar’Adua is on admission, is the same reserved section where the King of Saudi Arabia stays whenever he is receiving medical attention. As a result of this situation, Abba-Aji said any information to or from the President is channeled through his Chief Security Officer, Mr. Yusuf Tilde, and his Aide- de- Camp, Col. Mustapha Onoyiveta. Abba-Aji spoke after a closed door meeting with Vice-President Goodluck Jonathan at the Presidential Villa.
Although he maintained his earlier position that Yar’Adua did not write any letter instructing Jonathan to become the acting president, the presidential aide assured that he (Yar’Adua) would, very soon, transmit a letter to the National Assembly. But he did not say if the letter would state that he is on vacation or for the empowerment of Jonathan as an acting president.
When asked by journalists if he was in touch with the President, he replied, “I am in touch with Mr. President, through the ADC and CSO. This is because the part of the hospital where the President is staying is different from other parts of the hospital, and that is actually where the king of Saudi Arabia himself, if he needs treatment, stays.
“So, the security and protocol arrangements are controlled from the King’s Palace in Riyadh; so it is not like a general hospital that you can walk in or walk out of. “So because of this, we are communicating regularly through the ADC and the CSO and he is aware of everything that is happening in the National Assembly.” Abba-Aji’s disclosure confirmed reports that several prominent Nigerians who had travelled to Saudi Arabia to see the President were not able to meet with him. Such Nigerians included Kwara State Governor Bukola Saraki and Governor Isa Yuguda of Bauchi. THE PUNCH had on January 11, 2010 reported that the Federal Government, through the wife of the President, Turai, and the CSO signed a Non-Disclosure order request form which forbade the hospital from releasing any official information on the progress or whereabouts of Yar’Adua.
Explaining issues surrounding the President’s inability to transmit a letter to the National Assembly, Abba-Aji said the matter had been resolved. Asked to explain how it was settled, even as Yar’Adua was yet to write the letter, Abba-Aji said, “Clearly, there was a mix-up there on the part of a certain government official who had claimed that when the President was going to Saudi Arabia that he transmitted a letter.” He added that Yar’Adua was “not on vacation” because, “he is receiving medical attention.”
Also reacting to a resolution of the Senate that Yar’Adua should formally write on his medical trip, Abba-Aji said the President would comply, being an advocate of the rule of law. However, he explained that, in complying with the resolution, the President must weigh it (Senate resolution) alongside the ruling of the Federal High Court on January 13, 2010, which stated that he could not be compelled to transmit. Abba-Aji said, “If you remember, the Senate had three resolutions. One, they asked all Nigerians to pray for the President; the second was on the need to fix Section 145 of the constitution; and the third was for the President to report to them. “These have been communicated and as you know, the President is a man of rule of law. They (senators) themselves know that he respects all resolutions of the legislature; he has never encroached on the legislature. “It is different from when (Chief Olusegun) Obasanjo was President. The resolutions are on their way, and he will transmit. “The President I know will transmit the letter. He has never disrespected resolutions and there is also a court ruling, he will weigh both and he will act wisely; there is no doubt about that.”
Asked if Yar’Adua would transmit the letter before the end of this week, Abba-Aji became evasive. “Well, I don’t know how long; before the end of the week? Well, I don’t know how long the resolution will take but I think it’s a matter of time,” he said. But an Arab international news channel, Al Jazeera, reported on Thursday evening that Yar’Adua would soon transmit the letter to the National Assembly. The presidential aide went ahead to condemn Obasanjo for “sharing Yar’Adua’s medical records with Nigerians.” On the former President’s call on Yar’Adua to take the path of honour by resigning, Abba-Aji said, “He (Obasanjo) should know what the path of honour is. “He should know that Yar’Adua has always been on the path of honour. I don’t think it was right for the former president to share President Yar’Adua’s medical records with the public.” Abba-Aji also dismissed reports that the Federal Executive Council was divided over the President’s health.
WHAT GIDINOIZE THINKS
After reading this article from Punch all I could do was shake my head–>I mean even the president’s aide hasnt been in contact with him and still he has the mouth to say yes I “I am in touch with Mr. President, through the ADC and CSO. This is because the part of the hospital where the President is staying is different from other parts of the hospital, and that is actually where the king of Saudi Arabia himself, if he needs treatment, stays.So, the security and protocol arrangements are controlled from the King’s Palace in Riyadh; so it is not like a general hospital that you can walk in or walk out of. So because of this, we are communicating regularly through the ADC and the CSO and he is aware of everything that is happening in the National Assembly.” like seriously?—>The president’s aide deserves a knock on his head for that statement he made I mean these people in power must really think we are FOOLS! so what if Mr. President is in the same ward the King of Saudi Arabia uses? Does that stop him from sending a message to his people or better still doing a live footage to prove to his people that he is indeed alive—>It is even a shame for the president of a country to have to travel abroad for medical stuff—>The statement the President’s aide made rightfully points out that the ward being used by Mr president is the ward used by the King of Saudi Arabia himself, Im getting somewhere, chill—-> This very ward is in a hospital IN Saudi Arabia and not any other country so shame on those who run Nigeria for having to run to wards in other countries when they need medical help—>For this reason alone and not even his absent sef, Yaradua should be impeached I mean WhereTheyDoThatAt? A WHOLE PRESIDENT AHAHN!
He can like to just seek asylum in Saudi Arabia too!
Anyways I’ve got coursework to do so knidly leave your thoughts.
lol anywayz this is an interesting song..lol
