An authoritative source close to the President told Saturday Punch in Abuja on Friday that Yar’Adua was responding to treatment after the surgery. He also added that the President might return to the country next week. The source, who told Saturday Punch the nature of the President’s ailment, initially, later called to request that it should not be published.
The source, who also pleaded for anonymity, explained that the President had to be operated upon because the drugs administered to him did not bring about satisfactory “improvement”. He said, “He underwent surgery. The doctors said that it was better for him to undergo an operation as drugs seemed not to be the best alternative again.” The source described Wednesday’s claims by the Federal Executive Council that the President was performing the Islamic obligation of lesser hajj in Saudi Arabia as a cover.
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He said, “Only a few people are aware in the Presidential Villa. Of course, his deputy (Vice-President Goodluck Jonathan) knows; and a few ministers are aware of it too.” He said that the decision to give that explanation was borne out of the fact that the Presidency was also worried that there had been too much publicity and anxiety on the President’s health since he assumed office.
According to him, the Presidency decided to use the “lesser hajj excuse” because it was “handy.” The source said, “There is no need to always say that he is sick. You know that there has been much apprehension about his health. Many Nigerians had asked him to speak on the matter, which he did during one of his very few media chats. But the fact remains that he is not feeling well. He did not start feeling sick today. It started when he was governor of Katsina State. His state of health is not a secret.”
He added that the delay in the handover between the retired and new service chiefs was becoming an embarrassment to the military and that was why it was finally done on Thursday, without the decoration of any of the new military chiefs. He explained, “Now, you could see that the officers had not been decorated with their new ranks, which was supposed to have been performed by the President. But since the old service chiefs had to go, the new ones had to take over, even when they are yet to be decorated. We are hoping that the President will come back to perform the ceremony.”
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In order to stave off any speculation on Yar’Adua’s state of health, the Minister of Information, Mr. John Odey, shortly after the Federal Executive Council meeting, on Wednesday, had told State House correspondents that the President was in Saudi Arabia for Ummrah, the Muslim lesser hajj. Similarly, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Chief Ojo Maduekwe, had added that Yar‘Adua’s trip to Brazil was only readjusted and not cancelled.
But the Deputy Chief of Mission of the Brazilian Embassy in Abuja, Mr. Andre Luiz Azevego Santos, had told THE PUNCH, which ran an exclusive report on the trip cancellation on Friday, that the visit had been cancelled. He said in Abuja that a letter from the Nigerian Ambassador to Brazil, Mr. Kayode Garrick, had conveyed the cancellation of the visit to the Brazilian authorities. According to Santos, the letter did not give details on why the trip was put off.
Yar’Adua in hospital, undergoes surgery -VANGUARD
Written by By our reporter
Saturday, 30 August 2008
President Umaru Yar’Adua has undergone successfully a serious surgery suspected to be kidney related ailment in a Saudi Arabia hospital where he has been receiving treatment for days now, Saturday Vanguard can authoritatively reveal.
President Umaru Yar’Adua, who has been officially reported to be on lesser hajj in Mecca is in King.
President Umaru Yar’AduaFahd hospital in Saudi Arabia. In fact, reliable sources confirmed to Saturday Vanguard last night that the president underwent, serious renal transplantation and has been under intensive care. But his condition is said to be very stable.
King Fahd's hospital where he underwent the surgery, only some close members of his nuclear family, his wife, daughter, two physicians and security aides are allowed access to him.
The president whose health has been of public concern had gone to Mecca for lesser hajj and was expected back in Nigeria before departing to Brazil on a state visit. The visit has since been re-scheduled and the advance team recalled back home.
The Federal Executive Council had on Wednesday refuted rumours that President Umaru Yar’Adua was currently indisposed at a Saudi Arabia hospital.
Reacting to reports after its meeting in the council chambers of the State House, the FEC said the president was still engaged with the lesser hajj in Saudi Arabia, and would return whenever he concluded the programme.
Insinuations that Yar’Adua was indisposed, followed his trip to Saudi Arabia last week shortly after approving the appointment of new service chiefs.
His spokesman, Mr. Olusegun Adeniyi had announced that the trip was to enable the President perform the lesser hajj.
Speaking on the cancelled trip to Brazil, Foreign Affairs Minister, Chief Ojo Maduekwe, denied that he had anything to do with his health saying the President is on lesser hajj.
Asked about the planned trip to Brazil, Maduekwe said, “I am her now on state matters.
“What does this mean?”, he was asked, “state matters mean that things are adjusted and readjusted.
When newsmen drew his attention to the reports that the trip had been cancelled, Maduekwe said it is not cancelled. It is first readjusted. He said the new date for the trip was being sorted out between the two governments.
An attempt to get the reaction of the Presidential spokeman, Mr Segun Adeniyi, failed as he refused to take several calls made to him yesterday evening.
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