The Masari group’s statement titled President Yar’adua’s Health Condition and the State of the Nation was signed by, among others, former Senate President Dr. Ken Nnamani, former Secretary to the Federal Government Chief Olu Falae, the second republic governor of Kaduna State Alhaji Abdulkadir Balarabe Musa, and former Chief of Defence Staff Lt. General Alani Akinrinade. They said the president’s illness “has created a dangerous situation whereby no one is in charge of the affairs of the State contrary to the letter and spirit of the Constitution.” They demanded Yar’adua should “immediately and unconditionally hand over to the Vice-President, Dr Goodluck Jonathan to complete the current term of office and conduct the next general elections on the basis of the report of the electoral reform committee headed by Justice Mohammed Lawal Uwais.”
They however stated that if Yar’dua is confident that he is healthy enough to continue as president, he should “request the Federal Executive Council to pass a resolution pursuant to Section 144 (1) of the Constitution to the effect that the President appears incapable of discharging the functions of his office. This honorable step will enable the Senate President to appoint a Medical Panel to confirm the fitness or otherwise of the President to continue in office.”
Speaking to Daily Trust on telephone last night, human rights lawyers Femi Falana and Bamidele Aturu, who are also signatories to the statement, said the demand was made in the interest of the nation and of President Yar’adua himself. Falana said, “We believe Yar’adua is being held hostage by those who are benefitting from his illness. He should hand over to Jonathan so that he can pay adequate attention to his health and Nigeria can get adequate attention.”
Other signatories to the statement include Dr. Tunji Braithwaite, Col. Abubakar Umar, Prof. Itse Sagay (SAN), Alhaji Buba Galadima, Mr. Olawale Oshun, Dr. Usman Bugaje, Alhaji Adamu Maina Waziri, Mallam Nasir Ahmad El-Rufai, Mr. Yinka Odumakin, Alhaji Sadiq Yar’Adua, Malam Farouk Adamu Aliyu, Chief Jos Ayomike, Hajia Naja’atu Muhammeed, Dr (Mrs) Joe Okei-Odumakin and Ms. Annkio Briggs.
Other signatories were Mrs. Jumoke Anifowose, Chief Supo Shonibare, Mr. Odia Ofeimun, Hon. Lawal Garuba, Mr. Biodun Sowunmi, (Dr) Ishaq Kurufi, Mr. Uche Onyeagocha and Bashir Idris Nadabo.
The statement said, “It is clear to every discerning observer that President Umaru Yar’Adua’s physical condition has had a negative impact on his ability to discharge the functions of the highest office in our nation. Within the last few months, he has been unable to attend to crucial affairs of the State at home and abroad and whenever he has found time to do so, his judgment appears impaired by his ill-health.
A few examples may suffice: i] His health condition has necessitated several medical trips abroad but he has not transmitted to the President of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives a written declaration that he was proceeding on vacation or that he is otherwise unable to discharge the functions of his office as required by Section 145 of the Constitution. Ii] President Yar’adua though invited was unable to attend the United nations General Assembly for which a private audience had been arranged between him and President Obama for high level discussions of issues mutually beneficial to Nigeria and the United States because he was in Saudi Arabia to ‘open a university’ which was a dummy sold to cover up his treatments. Iii] It is also common knowledge that the incapacity of the president has affected the implementation of the nation’s budget because he has been unable to coordinate the management of the national economy and to preside over the Federal Executive Council in a diligent manner.”
They added, “In the circumstance, Ministers have routinely flouted the orders of the President and engaged in infighting as a direct result in the vacuum of leadership. This was recently embarrassingly exposed to the world with the series of conflicting public statements credited to the Attorney General and the Chair person of the EFCC. This was also exposed further when the president disavowed knowledge of a memo to all foreign missions purportedly on his instructions. Furthermore, till date, ministers continue to flout the public instruction of the president that ministers who presented memos at the FEC should stay behind to brief the media.”
They also said, “You may also recall that a battery of doctors complete with their paraphernalia escorted the president to the National Assembly last year to stand by as he delivered the budget and you may also recall that some pundits have revealed that the crisis between the Senate and the house on who should host the budget delivery by the president was contrived to provide an escape for the president who was reportedly physically unable to perform this formal task. (Vi) Finally, the current condition of the president has created a dangerous situation whereby no one is in charge of the affairs of the State contrary to the letter and spirit of the Constitution.”
They said “we are of the view that the President should immediately and unconditionally hand over to the Vice-President, Dr Goodluck Jonathan to complete the current term of office, and conduct the next general elections on the basis of the report of the electoral reform committee headed by Justice Mohammed Lawal Uwais.”
Daily Trust
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