Finally, FEC delegation leaves for Saudi, may not see Yar’Adua

Nigerians will not be surprised if the ministerial team set up by the Federal Executive

Council (FEC) to visit President Yar'Adua return without seeing him even as a member

of the team and the minister of Foreign Affairs Chief Ojo Maduekwe said their mandate

is not to determine the health status of the President.

Maduekwe who gave the hint in a chat with Journalists at the presidential villa Abuja

insisted that their team is not a medical panel and that Nigerians should not expect a

report on the health of the president.
According to him the purpose of the visit is to thank king of Saudi, express solidarity

with the first lady, pray for the quick recovery of the president, and assuring them that

under the Acting President Goodluck Jonathan, the business of governance moves on.

However, Maduekwe's comment on the mandate of the ministerial team contradicted

the story told by the Information Minister Dora Akinyuli when the panel was constituted.

Recall that the Information and Communications Minister, Prof. Dora Akunyili told State

House Correspondents last week that the "Council Constituted a six-man team to go

to Saudi Arabia to visit Mr. President and his family. The team will also convey a formal

appreciation of the country to the King of Saudi Arabia."

It is evident in Prof. Akunyili's statement that the team was actually mandated to “visit

Mr. President and his family” but about a week later the song has changed according

to Maduekwe rhetoric, who said their mandate was not to visit the president but ''We will

be expressing our deep appreciation to the King of Saudi Arabia for the excellent and

generous attention, both the government and people of Saudi have given to our

President''
A source who spoke to African Examiner about the power game described the trip as

exercise in futility if the minister will not see the President adding that the original

purpose of the visit was to help them determine the invocation of section 144(1) of the

1999 constitution.
Section 144 (1) reads: 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

a 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.
Meanwhile, the lawmakers who are pushing for the impeachment of the President on

the account of being incapacitated are waiting in the sideline for the return of the

ministerial team before proceeding to the next line of action.