Nigeria: Yar'Adua is Healthy - Presidency

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Leadership (Abuja)

28 August 2008
Posted to the web 28 August 2008

Golu Timothy

The Federal Government has said that President Umaru Musa Yar'Adua is hale and hearty, and is currently on a spiritual exercise (lesser hajj) in Saudi Arabia.

This follows speculations that the President was on medical admission at a Saudi hospital.

Speaking on behalf of government yesterday, Ministers of Foreign Affairs and Information, Chief Ojo Maduekwe and Mr John Odey respectively, said the President was doing fine and will return home "any moment from now."

The duo were speaking on behalf of the Federal Executive Council (FEC).

The president was expected back home over the weekend. He would also have travelled to Brazil on an official visit, but the trip to Brazil postponed indefinitely.

He was reported to have been admitted into a Saudi hospital for treatment since last week.

Responding to anxious reporters' questions on the state of the president's health, Maduekwe and Odey said there was no need for panic as the president is okay.

They also said they spoke with him yesterday morning over some state matters.

Maduekwe, who was to have been in Brazil with Yar'Adua but showed up at the FEC meeting in Abuja, explained that the rescheduling of the trip was not unusual as some state functions or travels were sometimes adjusted and readjusted to accommodate other schedules.

According to him, "The President is on lesser Hajj. I am here now on state matters. State matters mean that things are adjusted and readjusted. There are some reports that your journey to Brazil has been cancelled. It is not cancelled. It is just readjusted."

On the new date for the visit to Brazil, he said, "That is being sorted out between the two governments."

He noted that the state visit was put off because of developments that needed immediate attention.

This, he said, the host country is fully aware of the issues, adding, "Brazil is an important country to Nigeria. Very important. And we intend to keep that. Our respect for them remains very strong and our inability to come on this trip does not in any way affect our respect for them, and they are looking forward to when the president will make the trip.

He also claimed that there was nothing unusual about it. "It was deferred. Nothing unusual about it. It happens several times Governance is dynamic. You cannot be a prisoner to any particular programme.

He noted that it had nothing to do with the health of the President

The president, according to him, is billed back in the country any moment from now.

Corroborating Maduekwe's explanation, Odey said, "To the best of my knowledge, the president is still performing the lesser hajj."

Odey also said that he spoke with the President yesterday over some national issues."

Meanwhile, Federal Executive Council meeting which was presided over by the Vice President, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan, has approved a contract worth about N7 billion for the rehabilitation of the bombed and burnt out Okrika jetties A and B.

The essence of the contract is to facilitate loading activities in the South-eastern part of the country.

The contract is in favour of Lee Engineering and Construction Company.

The government also approved N4.6 billion plus $344.2 million, N5.1 billion, as well as another $177.6 million respectively for the expansion of the Escravos-Lagos pipeline phase one and two to meet the gas requirement of the domestic economy.

Briefing State House correspondents after the meeting, John Odey, Minister of Information and Communications, accompanied by Minister of Energy (Petroleum) Odein Ajumogobia, and Modibbo Umar, Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, said that the damaged jetties were very strategic to the lifting activities in the country and therefore demanded priority attention.

According to Odey, "Council observed that if the two jetties were to be closed down at the same time for repair work, the refinery will invariably shut down and if it is shut down, there will be scarcity of products in the South-eastern states as well as some parts of the North. To avoid such an unpalatable reality, Council recognised the urgent need of rehabilitating the two jetties."

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