Nigeria: Vaccum in Govt, Says Balarabe Musa

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Vanguard (Lagos)

6 September 2008
Posted to the web 6 September 2008

Leon Usigbe

Former Presidential candidate of the Peoples Redemption Party,( PRP) has disagreed with the Federal Government's claim that President Umaru Musa Yar' Adua is in Saudi Arabia for the lesser hajj arguing that Umrah( lesser hajj) lasted just one week.

He argued that executive powers should have been given to the Vice President Goodluck Jonathan.

Musa told Saturday Vanguard that the failure of the President to grant full authority to the Vice President ensured that nobody was in control of the country except the armed forces since the exit of the President from the country about two weeks ago.

He also debunked Presidency officials' claims that President Yar'Ádua went for Umrah as he noted that the religious function lasted for about a week or less in which case, the President Yar'Ádua should have since returned to the country.

His words: "Certainly, he could not have gone there for religious purpose. If he had gone there for religious purpose, he would have been back because the only present religious function there is Umrah. Umrah is something that lasts no longer than one week; in some situations, even less than one week. So, it can't be Umrah. It can't be for religious purpose. It must be for other purpose.

"There was a statement that he was ill and so it is likely that he went to Saudi Arabia for medical treatment. If that is the case, Nigerians should have been taken into confidence regarding his condition of health from day to day, if not even sooner than that because that is the practice all over the world.

"The way the Federal Government is handling it is cheapening the office of the President. The position of the President is the concern of every citizen and every citizen should be aware of the condition. According to the latest press release, they said he would be coming today (Thursday). It doesn't seem to be definite, otherwise government should have come up with a clear statement.

"The implication of this, of course, is that the administration is incapable because it doesn't know the rights of Nigerians. It may even be worse. It may not be a question of not being capable. It may be a question of being indifferent.

"I also understand and this is also very serious that he has not delegated power to his vice. If he has gone there on Umrah or other official thing, yes; it is not necessary or the law does not oblige him to handover to his vice.

"But if there is condition of health, I think it is extremely in the interest of the country that it should be done. But according to speculations and statements by those who know, he has not handed over any authority to his Vice which means as it is now, nobody is in authority in Nigeria, except the strongest force - the armed forces," the former governor of defunct Kaduna State remarked.

He added that President YarÁdua should endeavour to find out the sentiments of Nigerians regarding the shrouded reason of his absence from work and take necessary steps to avoid a repeat.

"He will find out from his aides what Nigerians said during speculations about his health. He will take note of it and correct the situation in future. We don't expect this to happen again because it has happened so many times during his presidency.

"Even when he was a governor, the same thing was happening, this problem of ill health and travelling overseas for treatment. Now that he knows that this is a matter of concern to Nigerians, he should make sure that next time he goes out receiving medical help, Nigerians are well aware of his state of health because it is there right," he stated.

Musa however noted that it was premature to speculate on the political future of the President as the petition against his election was still pending in the Supreme Court, saying "the election petition for the 2007 presidency is still before the Supreme Court and so, we cannot be talking of 2011 until we have finished 2007."

Also speaking to Saturday Vanguard, the National Publicity Secretary of the All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP), Mr. Emmanuel Eneukwu regretted the attitude of the Presidency over speculations on the health of President YarÁdua, saying that they had deliberately misled Nigerians.

He said that "they should be reliable enough to give Nigerians correct information. If the President goes for medical check up, there is nothing wrong with that but the President is supposed to live by example.

He should not double speak; he should not mislead Nigerians. Even if he is sick, it is not out of his own making.

"He should be courageous enough to tell Nigerians that their leader is suffering from such and such ailment and Nigerians would pray for him. It is not very good for the office of the President. The citizenry must be able to know what is wrong with their President and know where we are directing their prayer.

"This is beyond a matter of opposition. Human health; nobody is directing it. It is in the hands of God and therefore, nobody can criticize him for being sick. It is not out of his making," the party's spokesman declared.

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