April 1, 2010
On Thursday the 1st of April 2010, I was about sleeping at some minutes to 12:00 a.m. A friend of mine Auwal Baba from Cairo sent me a text ''Oga Nura did u see the Daily trust Cover story''? I replied ''no what is it about''? He then sent to me again ‘’Abuja Chief Imam said ‘’I saw Yar’adua last night’’. Although I was very tired and completely exhausted and my eyes were even closing in preparation for sleeping, I then suddenly regain my energy and switch on my laptop to see the story for myself.Upon reading the news, I realized my Islamic mentor - friend and my usual Imam whenever I ‘m in Bauchi Sheikh Isa Pantami was among the people that saw the President. I knew he was in Abuja to meet with National security Adviser General Gusau and eventually the Acting President about the Crisis in Plateau state and other crucial security issue’s relating to religion. I immediately placed a call to him and asked Malam ''You did not told me? And he then laughed and said yes initially it was not part of his schedule to see the President but it came up suddenly and the Chief Security Officer to the President Yusuf Tilde who is also from My State Bauchi came and took them from the National Mosque to the Presidential Villa after they requested to see the President in order to pray for his quick recovery and clear all doubts surrounding his illness.
I told him that I was reading from the Newspaper about their meeting with the ailing President. So upon that, he asks me to meet him at Sheraton Hotel at 7:00 am tomorrow morning before he leaves for Bauchi. I retired to bed after passing the information to so many people I was opportune to sent and slept somewhere around 2:00 a.m.
I woke up around 6:30 a.m., said my Prayer and then drove to Sheraton Hotels and went straight to his room at fifth floor, room 525! Once the Door was open I realized he was together with National Mosque Chief Imam and I sat on the carpet while discussion continues about My President. So many people were calling both Islamic clerics, the few I was able to recognize include Father Mathew Kukah, Adamu Adamu, Buba Galadima, elders from Bauchi and some top officials of the Federal Government.
After some moments they stopped answering every call because there were numerous phone calls as we begin discussion. Indeed, Sheikh Pantami told me they met President Yar’adua at the upper floor of the Presidential Villa, at the President’s House, he was seated alongside his wife and his ADC standing behind, the President Personal physician standing by the right hand side of the President, they spent only 10 minutes, he recognize the National Imam, he even called his name, he shook their hands and when they asked him ''how is the body’’ he replied ''I’m getting better’’, but Pantami told me his voice is quite very low, ''You cannot actually hear what he is saying properly’’ but the Doctor told us he is indeed recuperating very past and that its normal whenever there is heart surgery to have problem like that and he should be okay by the end of April. Allah’s willing.
The Chief Imam said after they prayed for the President recovery which he actually took part by raising his hands to join them, they left the sitting room and wish him well, upon coming to the ground floor Turai who was also escorting them out of the House alongside the President Chief Security Officer discuss four disturbing issue’s openly.
Firstly, the first lady was not happy with how the President illness was politicized and the role played by the acting President and she told a story of what happened on November 23rd 2009, the day they flew to Saudi Hospital. '' You see when we were leaving the country, the President asked for the Vice President but they couldn’t locate him at that particular moment, the President ADC tried reaching the Vice President security details but no avail, when we came down stairs the President instructed them to use the Villa intercom still the Vice President could not be found and eventually on our way to the Airport then a call came from the Vice President through the President ADC and President Yar’adua told him ''My Vice President, Please I’m flying to Saudi Arabia for my routine medical checkup and to also get some treatment, please manage Nigeria as if it’s your ''personal property’’, do not wait for me, continue with the task of Governance, my Principal private secretary Mr, Edevbie is around use him whenever you need to contact me anytime and do not wait for me in case of anything please continue in acting capacity Mr Vice President’’ and the VP wish the President safe flight to Saudi.
Secondly, according to the Chief Imam, Turai told them when Yar’adua recovered and was out of the intensive care unit for the first time he requested to speak with the Vice President on phone and eventually the Senate President and the Speaker of the National assembly respectively. Thirdly, Turai said upon their return to Nigeria Jonathan did not consult any of them concerning governance or personal issue’s and when Gusau came on board as National security adviser last month he tried to change the President ADC and Chief Security Officer to the President, she however, stopped him and also warned him for anything that may happen to the security of the President they would be held responsible.
Sheikh Pantami noted to me that indeed President Yar’adua’s inner caucus had made mistakes for hiding and keeping in secrecy the President health condition and to him is what made the situation worse across the nation. I remember him citing examples with former leaders like Fidel Castro of Cuba, Arafat of Palestine and recently Mubarak of Egypt all of whom were sick at a point in times but their health status and report were made public.
Folks, I’m not Yar’adua’s spokesman or family member that can speak or write on their behalf, therefore, whatever you read here is what the clerics told me today at Sheraton Hotels in the morning. By now I believe the first lady has learn a lot of lessons about life, power, politics and power intrigues, the acting President also should learn from history, himself as example, both should realize and concur that indeed power is ‘’transient’’ and no condition is permanent in life!
Nura Manu Soro
[email protected]
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