MELODRAMA OF POWER: NOW THAT YAR ADUA HAS ARRIVED

Dr Olayiwola Ajileye, Media and Publicity Coordinator, Champions for Nigeria (CFN)

Sick president was flown in from his base in Saudi Arabia Wednesday the 24th February

2010, where he has ostensibly been recieving treatment in the last 90 days for multi-organ

failure and Acute Pericarditis. This operation was shrouded in secrecy, as there was no

official communication to any organ of government informing of the impending return of the

President into the country. The whole operation was done under the cover of darkness with

the First Lady, Mrs Turai Yar Adua and a section of the military and political class in

conspiracy to keep Nigerians in the dark about the state of health of our first public officer,

an elected President. This action, without being immodest, is an embarrassment to the state

of Nigeria and the sensibility of the long suffering 150million Nigerians who have patiently

waited and pray for the quick recovery of the president.

I have written articles before based on Medical sociology of Illness and Sickness (President

Yar Adua: In Sickness and in Health) in support of the effort of the President in seeking

medical attention as his due right and the obligations to do so and exemption from duties

during these period of treatment. But there are laid down constitutional framework and

procedures that should be followed if the period of treatment is prolonged so that the affairs

of the nation and national security is not compromised. Clearly, for reasons best viewed as

politically and irresponsibly motivated by few individuals who have decided to usurp the

presidential mandate and abuse our constitutional provisions, this guideline has not been

adhered to. Not until patience ran out and our elected parliamentarians intervene to save

the nation at the brink of collapse and correct the wrong that was being perpetrated, that

the country heaved a sigh of relieve. That relieve was however short-lived as the same

agent of retrogression and selfish ambition decided to resurface the crisis and smuggled

the president into the country under the cover of darkness.

Now that the president has returned, firstly, we welcome him back and wish him quick

recovery. But then we need to see him and get him to talk to the nation and his people. He

needs to physically appear in person to chair the affairs of the nation or declare his return

to the national assembly for due recognition. This is not politics, but mere common sense

and courtesy. Failing all that, I would think that Nigeria would assume that he has not

returned or perhaps, he is not with us in soul and mind. The office of the president is

greater than anyone, we have had other ex-presidents, many of whom are alive today...it is

a temporary state.
The way forward IN THIS MELODRAMA...NOW THAT THE PRESIDENT HAS ARRIVED and

would not show his face but wants to run by proxy, I would advise that Ministers with

courage and dignity should resign en mass or go awol.... AG President Jonathan should go

on vacation for 30-40 days, to allow the returned President run his government the way he

deemed fit, International community should withdraw their ambassadors and post

replacement who will need to present credence letter to be received by the president in

person for...If the kitchen cabinet and Turai Yar Adua try to appoint new ministers, then the

question will be asked about who make the appointment, who will refer them to the senate

for confirmation and who will swear them in.then the truth about the Yar Adua state of health

and cover up lies will come out...the system will be paralysed and Turai would have failed in

her bid to rule the country by proxy...
There is no constitutional role for our Ag President to see or be briefed by the First Lady.

Nigeria is not a banana republic or a monarchical state. We are a democracy with

presidential system in place backed by the relevant constitution and system of government.

The concept of first Lady in African politics should be abolished as it has been

demonstrably abused by Turai and Yardua family who has put the nation into disrepute

globally by her actions and inactions...Why is it that Nigeria always set bad precedent in

political affairs among the comity of nations? What does Turai want to do with presidential

power other than to wield influence and steal from the national purse with her

comrades...what does she know about running a country? Does she think running a country

is all about awarding contracts and pimping beautiful daughters to the highest bidder?

Nigeria cannot have ghost as president. When Zambia president went abroad for treatment

for two months, he handed over to his deputy, the nation was well informed about his state

of health before he passed away and he was given a state respectable burial followed by a

democratic election, same in Gabon, same situation in Cuba when Fidel Castro fell ill he

honourably handed over the reins of government, Mandela did the same when he realised

that he has edged his name on the annal of world leaders and history. Not to talk of other

developed countries like Isreal, America etc. This idea of zoning and north south dichotomy

is not suitable for a very divided country and immature democracy like Nigeria. Our

constitution is very weak and hence easily violated by faceless individuals who by now

should be languishing in prison for subversion of constitution and treasonable felony.

If a president has been away from his duty post without official leave or adherence to

procedural guideline, if we forgive that, though it is an unconstitutional behaviour and

violation of our sovereignty, dereliction of duty, we cannot forgive or pretend to understand

why he cannot address the nation on his return and communicate with the people who have

been praying for his recovery and wellbeing all these while to show his preparedness to

return to service of the nation, this is discourteous, subversion of our constitutional integrity.

The military are complicit in these matter and the police who should be the protector of our

national security and constitutional integrity which they sworn to uphold. No nation can have

two Commanders in chief at the same time. The question of insubordination on the part of

the military in the Yar Adua return affairs is disgraceful and treasonable. It is either they are

in power or out of power. Who gave the military order or signal to mobilise troops to the

airport? What happen to the chain of command? Who switched of the light and who cleared

the landing of the plane? Who approved visa for the medical personnel that accompanied

him, who checked them into the country.
This is a national security issue! Has the seat of power and government now been turned to

a specialised hospital units where foreign medical personnel will have access to sensitive

national brief and information on our day to day running of government affairs? Where in

the world is this kind of arrangement allowed? If the president is still sick, he should return

to where he came from or go to hospital to receive medical intervention. These are not

activities that should be taking place in the office of the presidency in the full glare of

foreign nationals under the guise of providing medical intervention for our president. What

about the threat to national security in respect of such arrangement? The actions and

inactions of the president's handlers is a blatant compromise of our national security and

democratic establishment.
Acting President Jonathan is not under any under obligation to collaborate in the subversive

agenda, he has the mandate of Nigerians, the International community and constitutionally

to serve the country in that capacity with full presidential authority until such times that the

recovering president would be fit and able to resume the running of the state affairs. Some

things can be done with money and billions of it, but some things are just not right

regardless, Lets call a spade a spade, The parliamentarians, elected representatives of the

people cannot be complicit in this arrangement, Nigeria Constitution must be upheld at all

cost. That is the way forward and threat is what Nigeria and friends of Nigeria around the

world expect.
Dr Olayiwola Ajileye
Publicity and Media Coordinator
Champions for Nigeria