LOST CASE, YAR'ADUA IN TERRIBLE SHAPE
Umar Musa Yar'Adua
Five days after ailing president Umar Musa Yar'Adua was brought back to the country, from Saudi Arabia, where he received medical attention for over 90 days, only members of his family have had access to him. It was gathered that this is owing to the fact that the president is in a terrible shape, a condition his wife, Turai and associate would not want leaked outside.
Sources at the presidential villa, Abuja said that contrary to the impression some people want to give, to the effect that since Yar'Adua could be brought home his health condition has improved, the president, who has been quarantined at the presidential villa, can't stand up, eat or talk. The president, it was gathered, is always in a lying position.
Saturday Sun gathered that one of the reasons Yar'Adua was hurriedly brought home on Tuesday is due to the anxiety over his current condition. It was gathered that doctors had declared his condition as precarious and therefore advised that he be taken home, as they could no longer give hope for his survival. The doctors were said to have declared that the worst may happened and therefore it would be better if Yar'Adua is in Nigeria.
Attempt by Jonathan to see Yar'Adua frustrated
It was gathered that in order to hide the true condition of Yar'Adua from Goodluck Jonathan, the president's wife, Turai, had rebuffed all attempts made by the acting president to see his boss. Sources said that since Tuesday, Jonathan has made several attempts to see Yar'Adua but was denied access. He was said to have, first, tried to meet with Turai, to discuss his intention to see Yar'Adua, but was not granted audience. The acting president was said to have discussed with the office of the chief security adviser to the president on the same matter, but was referred again to Yar'Adua's wife. Since Jonathan has not got the opportunity to meet with Turai, he is yet to see Yar'Adua, despite the fact that the president is in the villa. The acting president is said to have sought the assistance of traditional rulers in the north to prevail on those managing the affairs of Yar'Adua to allow him access.
It was gathered that security is high at the official residence of the president, with armed soldiers standing at every corner. The passage leading to the president's bedroom, sources revealed, has been cordoned off. It was learnt that security personnel manning it only allow those who come with Turai access to that section of the villa.
The counter-coup against Jonathan
It was gathered that the option to bring Yar'Adua home was hatched by those who does not want a total Jonathan president. Sources revealed that apart from the doctors' advice that Yar'Adua should be taken home, another reason the president was brought home at the eve of FEC meeting was to stop any move by the federal cabinet to declare the president unfit, which would cause the setting up of a medical team to ascertain his health condition.
With the feeler that the FEC may approve the investigation option, since the team to Saudi Arabia was not going to get access to the president, it was gathered that those managing Yar'Adua packed the Tuesday trip, which took most people in Nigeria by surprise.
Jonathan was said to have been kept in the dark on the return of Yar'Adua. However, the national security adviser, it was gathered, was briefed and was told to send signal to soldiers, who would guard the airport and the convoy from the airport to presidential villa 30 minutes to the aircraft's arrival. While the signal was sent and the troops moved to the airport, Jonathan was not informed until the convoy arrived presidential villa. By then, it was gathered, soldiers, mainly from Katsina, had taken over guard at the presidential villa.
With the stalling of the FEC meeting on Wednesday, the Yar'Adua camp's counter-coup could be said to have worked.
The North already given up on Yar'Adua
Saturday Sun gathered that northern elements, which know the health condition of Yar'Adua, resigned to fate and is actually looking beyond him. Sources believed that the North is intensifying efforts to get a candidate for vice president, in a perceived Jonathan presidency.
It was gathered that when the North gets a candidate, it may press for outright resignation of the president. The resignation option, it was gathered, is simply to let the North concentrate and prepare for 2011 election, where it hopes to reclaim the zone's mandate at the Presidency.
It was gathered that the North may concede the choice of who would be vice president to the Yar'Adua family, since, for them, the ultimate is to produce a popular and credible presidential candidate for the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) next year. The search party, it was gathered, is also considering politicians related to Yar'Adua, as compensation for the perceive loss, if Yar'Adua leave office.
War in the presidency
The Presidency is currently under fire, as the two camps, in a seemingly divided Federal Government, are flexing muscle, in a bid to take control of power.
Sources at the presidential villa, Abuja revealed that ever since Yar'Adua was brought back there has been war between his camp, led by Turai and the camp of Jonathan. It was gathered that each of the camp gives parallel directives, with the camp of Yar'Adua having an upper hand.
Sun gathered that although a statement issued by Mr. Segun Adeniyi, on Wednesday, on behalf of Yar'Adua, said that Jonathan is still in charge of government, pending when the president would be fit enough to return to work, the acting president does not have total control of affairs in government. He is said to have been stimagtised that even ministers no longer go to him.
It was learnt that since Tuesday, when Yar'Adua returned, ministers have boycotted Jonathan, fearing that identifying with him would put them in the bad books of Yar'Adua. Apart from Wednesday, when ministers came to the presidential villa for the Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting, which did not hold, it was gathered that they have been keeping to their ministries. However, the ministers, who are obviously allies of Yar'Adua, are said to be relating with Turai, who appears to be the face of President Yar'Adua they are now seeing.
It was learnt that the Yar'Adua camp has intimidated ministers with subtle threat of sack should they be linked to Jonathan. This tactics appears to work, since nobody, except members of the Yar'Adua family, has seen the president, to really know his true health condition. Not knowing the state of things, the ministers, it was gathered, are keeping long distance, believing that if Yar'Adua was brought home it is possible that he would soon return to office and therefore, their jobs would be on line if he does and they are seen to be Jonathan's supporters.
Yar'Adua camp's secret plan
It was gathered that the Yar'Adua camp, believing that their benefactor may return to duty, has started compiling names of ministers, who would be fired. Top on the list is Information and Communication Minister, Prof Dora Akunyili, who called for the transfer of power to Jonathan a few weeks ago, before the National Assembly did that. She is said to have been declared a personae non-grata for her action. Also, believed to be in the bad books of the Yar'Adua camp is Foreign Affairs Minister, Chief Ojo Maduekwe. Maduekwe's sin is that he raised the motion that led to the setting up of a six-member panel that went to Saudi Arabia to ascertain the president's health condition.