There has been palpable anxiety all over Nigeria in the last 24 hours over the health of Nigeria's sickly leader, Umaru Yar'Adua, who was admitted to the King Fahd Armed Forces Hospital in Jeddah on Monday after he was evacuated from Nigeria on medical emergency. It is his third medical trip in four months. The presidency always gives the impression that he is in the country for something else, although Nigerians now know better.
After Saharareporters broke the story of his latest medical evacuation two days ago, his office issued a statement admitting that he would be visiting his doctors in Jeddah.
Yar'adua suffers from a degenerative disease known as Churg Strauss syndrome. Saharareporters sources said Yar'Adua, who appears increasingly gaunt for a man who is not yet 60, was unconscious for about four hours last night, fueling widespread rumors that he had died in Saudi Arabia. Saharareporters received thousands of inquiries from readers, including government officials who claimed they had not heard from the "president".
Characteristically, Yar'Adua did not hand over to his vice, Jonathan Goodluck, a man he either fears, or holds in contempt, as he never hands the constitutional batton of power to him. In the corridors of power, the lackluster deputy is generally referred to as the "Social Prefect" because of his powerlessness and lack of influence in the presidency. Even the presentation of the 2010budget was done by Yar'Adua aides on Tuesday. His most powerful political performance this year was at the final match of the just-concluded Under-17 World Cup event in Abuja, where he represented Yar'Adua.
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