The sickly weakling from Katsina State, Umaru Yar'Adua, who was imposed on Nigerians by the cabals led by disgraced Olusegun Obasanjo is dying! Will he be the first president to die in office in Nigeria? No, as the other munchkin, midget Sani Abacha also kicked the bucket while in office. But unlike the military succession that immediately produced Abdulsalm Abubarkar as successor to Sani Abacha, there will be crisis of no mean magnitude should Umaru Yar'Adua suddenly drops dead. First is that vice president Jonathan Goodluck will not be allowed by the north to succeed him, this ordinarily would have been the natural thing to do, but the Northerners will insist that they serve out their turn as president of Nigeria after Olusegun Obasanjo's Yoruba governance. Now the other problem will be whether Jonathan Goodluck will accept another pupillage under a new imposed president from the north? And if a new president were to be produced, what will the process look like? Another imposition, an election or a national assembly-led intervention? But then what will the brand of Nigerian democracy be called for purposes of scholars and commentators? Will a power crisis between a down but not yet out Olusegun Obasanjo and the northern oligarchs ensue on who chaperons the succession and who will be at the receiving end of this fight of the titans - Nigerians of course! Either way, there is no meaningful way out should the inevitability of Umaru Yar'Adua's demise happen now. This is what is wrong with Nigerians and the kind of leadership they have come to accept in that country. Were it to be a proper place where democracy is thriving, maybe a full disclosure-vetting of Umaru Yar'Adua's candidacy would have revealed that he is an unfit and improper person to even run for the presidency of Nigeria by reason of sickness. Better still Umaru Yar'Adua himself would have declined the offer to be appointed president of Nigeria and if appointed anyway, refused to serve! This shows the cross-roads of Nigeria and the reason there can never be any meaningful progression in that country. A mixed bag of very fickle and feeble leadership in a country with bountiful of men and women of gravitas who would have motivated and moved the country to greater heights. Olusegun Obasanjo mid-wived this imbroglio of Umaru Yar'Adua's failing health crisis and it was for a purpose; since he Obasanjo was fully aware of the debilitating health condition of Umaru and yet imposed him on Nigerians anyways.
Icheoku says, it shall not be well with you Olusegun Obasanjo and demands that Nigerians revisit and reconsider all the bonds yoking the different nationalities together with a view to granting some autonomies within the union and/or at least put in place a real working federation. This is in order to let the people who want to move be able to move forward to cart their destiny without undue encumbrance by an ailing man from far-away rustic Katsina State; who instead of marshaling out policies of state is busy fighting a battle for his life in various hospitals around the world, from Germany to Saudi Arabia! To Umaru Ya'Adua, Icheoku asks and demands that you come clean with a full disclosure of the nature of your ailment or quietly resign your office should you be too ashamed of Nigerians learning the nature of your sickness. There is nothing to hide about being sick because nobody inflicts sickness on himself. Finally whatever you do, you must not die in office as the ensuing crisis might destroy Nigeria as we know it! For what other Nigerians are saying about their secretive dying imposed president Umaru Yar'Adua, click Disclose Your Ailment, Nigerians Tell Yar'Adua!
Nigerians should pray for Yar’Adua —Gani
ReplyDeleteEBELE AKPEH, Lagos and
Dele Ogunyemi, Ibadan
RECUPERATING Lagos Lawyer, Chief Gani Fawehinmi (SAN) yesterday urged Nigerians to pray for the quick recovery of President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua.
Fawehinmi in a statement issued from London, where he is receiving medical treatment for lung cancer, said for about two weeks, the president has been receiving medical treatment including surgery in Saudi-Arabia for an undisclosed ailment.
Said he: "The fact is that the president of Nigeria is sick and he is unable to govern the country because of his illness."
The radical lawyer also said the president deserves the prayers of all Nigerians because "he is our president."
He urged all Nigerians of all religious persuasion to pray for his survival and recovery.
He said that the health situation of the president was contrary to the official announcement that he went on a lesser hajj (pilgrimage) to Saudi Arabia.
Meanwhile, An Ibadan-based Prophet, Rev. Perez Iyiola Oluyemi Yesterday said that the President Yar’Adua will not die while still serving as the president of Nigeria.
Perez Iyiola of the Achievers Rock Assembly, who is renowned for many predictions that had come to pass, had few months ago predicted that Yar’Adua will spend two terms in the office as the President of Nigeria.
He reaffirmed to newsmen in the Oyo State capital that God had not changed His mind concerning the President.
According to him, God had ordained President Yar’Adua to remain in the office, and to take Nigeria to the next level within the next few years.
He enjoined Nigerians not to entertain any fear as regards the health condition of President Yar’Adua "he will live to fulfill the purpose God wants to use him for in the country."
Commenting on the purpose God wants to use Yar’Adua for, the prophet remarked that the President had been taking some wrong steps in the recent time saying however that "President Yar’Adua needs to be making proper consultations before taking any action, especially as regards the running of his administration."
He therefore urged the president to make some re-adjustments immediately after returning to the country just as he explained that these wrong steps might work against the purpose God wants to use the president for.
Yar'Adua back... 'very soon'
ReplyDeletePresident on UN's list of speakers
Experts speak on likely health condition
From Martins Oloja, Alifa Daniel (Abuja) and Laolu Akande (New York)
THE Federal Government yesterday shifted its position, though marginally, on President Umaru Musa Yar'Adua's health and visit to Saudi Arabia, hinting officially for the first time that he may actually have been in a hospital to check on his health.
And, on when he would return to Nigeria, the answer is now: "Very soon."
Asked whether the President may have seen doctors while on lesser hajj, the government's hitherto stoic position on Yar'Adua's whereabouts, Information and Communications Minister, John Odey, told State House correspondents that the President reserved the right to check on his health while in the holy land.
He maintained however that as far as the government was concerned, Yar'Adua was away for the lesser hajj and would return as soon as he finished the religious exercise.
Odey told the journalists that Vice President Goodluck Jonathan who, for the second week running, took charge of the Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting, told ministers that he was in touch with the president whom he said was well and would return "very soon."
His words: "Like I informed you the last time the President went, he left here, he informed us that he was going for lesser hajj. Of course that is true. Today (yesterday) also, we inquired from the Vice President who has been in touch with him. They also spoke yesterday (Tuesday) and by the close of work today (Wednesday) we will also confirm his schedule when he will come back and obviously I will inform you accordingly."
On the alleged mismanagement of information on the president's health by officials, Odey said: "I don't think there is any delay of information because I informed you the very day the President travelled from here. A week after, I also informed you and a few days ago, I reiterated the same statements that I made that the President travelled to Saudi Arabia for lesser hajj. And yesterday (Tuesday), the Vice President was in touch with him on phone and by the close of work today (Wednesday), we will be able to confirm to you his schedule and when he will return to the country."
Odey's exchange with the journalists went thus:
Nigerians are worried that you have mismanaged information on the president's health. What is your reaction to this?
Like I informed you the last time the President left here, he informed us that he was going for lesser hajj. Of course that is true. Today (Wednesday) also, we inquired from the Vice President who has been in touch with him. They also spoke yesterday (Tuesday) and by the close of work today (Wednesday), we will also confirm his schedule, when he will come back and obviously I will inform you accordingly.
So what has been causing the delay of information
I don't think there is any delay of information because I informed you the very day the President travelled from here. A week after, I also informed you and a few days ago, I reiterated the same statements that I made that the President travelled to Saudi Arabia for lesser hajj. And yesterday (Tuesday), the Vice President was in touch with him on phone and by the close of work today (Wednesday), we will be able to confirm to you his schedule.
We want to believe that the president went on lesser hajj but did he take the opportunity to undertake medical check-up?
Yes, of course. He is free to take that opportunity to undertake medical check-up. One thing I will like to solicit from the general public and the gentlemen of the press generally is to exercise patience. I would confirm to you whenever he will be coming back but he is hale and hearty.
So the official position is that he went for lesser hajj?
Yes, that is true.
Meanwhile, though there is no confirmation of exact medical situation and speculations continue to spread regarding his well-being, President Umaru Yar'Adua is listed at the United Nations to address the annual General Assembly Summit of the world body, later this month, specifically on Tuesday, September 23.
Equally, he is also expected to participate at a special high level meeting of world leaders to review African countries' developmental progress or lack of it at the UN on Monday, September 22
But there are concerns whether the President would have recovered from his reported illness enough to make the trip to New York in a few weeks as his medical situation attracts more international focus.
Concerns about Yar'Adua health took a keener international dimension since the President reportedly chose to travel to Saudi Arabia instead of Germany where he is already identified as a regular patient. Informed sources say such movement across international boundaries seeking medical remedies is curious.
In the case of Yar'Adua, it has been speculated that he might be seeking the best place to get a kidney transplant, a remedy German and western hospitals are said to be reluctant to offer any patient whose condition may not be alleviated by such transplant.
According to informed medical sources, such a patient would be such that is suffering from severe kidney damage caused by a rare disease called Churg Strauss Syndrome (CSS).
Dr. Edward Oparaoji, the Global Medical Affairs Chief of Nephrology Section, at the international medical firm Shire Pharmaceuticals, in Pennsylvania USA, said CSS "is rare and one of many forms of vasculitis- diseases characterised by inflammation of blood vessels, especially small arteries and veins."
However, a UN document made available at the UN headquarters in New York indicated that the President is expected to address the General Assembly of the world body on September 24, a day after the opening of the annual General Debate of the UN General Assembly where heads of states and governments, including kings, presidents and prime ministers normally gather once a year.
Yar'Adua addressed the summit last year September for the first time and he is expected to open the speeches on Wednesday afternoon, according to the UN notice released recently.
The U.S. President will speak on Tuesday September 23 when the General Debate opens in New York and between the 23rd and 1 October presidents, prime ministers and royalties from around the world would be addressing the UN as leaders of their delegation.
But not all countries will be represented by their presidents, prime ministers or kings. However such national leaders get to speak ahead of countries whose delegations to the UN summit are led by a cabinet minister or anybody less than the top political leaders like presidents and prime ministers.
In the case of Nigeria, since the president is being expected to lead the Nigerian delegation, Nigeria has been assigned a priority in the order of speaking. This is why Nigeria will be speaking on the second day of the General Assembly Summit.
Generally, presidents, prime ministers will be speaking from Sept. 23 until afternoon on Sept. 26, when deputy prime ministers, others of those rank, and cabinet ministers leading their countries' delegations start to take their turns and continuing until October 1 when the General Assembly Summit rounds up.
At the UN, sources said Yar'Adua's presence is also expected at forthcoming high level meeting on Africa's Development Needs to be held just before the start of the General Assembly Summit on Monday, September 22 at the UN headquarters. He is expected to speak at that meeting also considering Nigeria's influence and place in African regional groupings at the UN and influence on the continent.
This meeting, according to UN General Assembly resolution 62/242 agreed to by all UN member-states, requires the participation at the "highest possible political level, with the participation of Heads of State or Government, ministers, special representatives, and other representatives, as appropriate."
According to a UN Statement, "given the importance attached to the issue, the president of the General Assembly has written to all delegations to encourage representation at the highest political level."
According to the statement from the office of the General Assembly President, the theme of the meeting is "Africa's development needs: state of implementation of various commitments, challenges and the way forward."
This meeting is said to be a serious one considering how slow African countries are moving regarding development goals and so world leaders will use the forum to come together and renew their commitment to Africa's development and focus attention on how best to address challenges.
Speaking further on what may be the President's alleged health condition, Oparaoji said the cause of the CSS syndrome is not known, but it involves an abnormal over-activation of the immune system in a person, adding that the disease is " serious" and "can be fatal," especially if untreated. But he added that "with aggressive treatment and monitoring it can be quieted and total inactivation of the disease (remission) is possible."
Explaining why anybody in that kind of condition may not be surgically operable on ethical grounds in a western hospital, Oparaoji said the disease may have reached an advanced stage, and "likely has severely affected other more vulnerable organs such as the lungs, abdomen, skin, prostate, nerves and or muscles." Besides, the medical practitioner added that there is a high likelihood of infections (bacterial, fungal and/or viral), due to the medication used in CSS, which depresses the body's ability to fight infections.
Said he: "If the above conditions exist, the patient may not have qualified for kidney transplant, especially in any transplant centre in the West. Kidney transplantation is possible when one has no other severe or life threatening condition such as CSS (a badly managed one for that matter), that may hinder transplant success."
The professor then asked: "Did he actually undergo renal transplantation? Was it ethical? Whose kidney? Was it a living or a cadaver donor? What is his prognosis? What is timeline for recuperation? What is his mental status? Can he effectively execute state functions?"
According to him, while western doctors and medical practitioners are not "familiar with the practice in Saudi Arabia, I would be surprised if any credible transplant centre will risk a donor's life or jump over a potential recipient on the list to give precious kidney to a poor transplant candidate. That would be unethical."
Yar’Adua Returns Home
ReplyDelete•Receives Ogbulafor, PDP chieftains in S/Arabia
By Ijeoma Nwogwugwu, Yemi Adebowale and Chuks Okocha in Abuja, 09.06.2008
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After a two and half week foreign sojourn leading to wild speculations about his health and even phantom death, President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua returned to the country at approximately 6 a.m. this morning from Saudi Arabia in the company of his family and close aides.
The president had left the country over a fortnight ago to perform the lesser hajj but may have received medical attention, leading to speculations over the state of his health.
He was said to have boarded the presidential jet to return to Nigeria around 12 midnight (Saudi time) and was scheduled to have landed at the presidential wing of the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja before the crack of dawn this morning.
Although uncertainties continue to persist about the state of the president’s health, sources informed THISDAY that the presidency is committed to opening up to the nation in the weeks ahead as there is nothing to hide about the president’s condition.
Before the president’s departure from the Saudi Kingdom, however, he had yesterday morning met with the national chairman of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Vincent Ogbulafor and two other executives of the party – Ahmed Rufai Alkali and Musa Babayaro - who had gone to meet with him and ascertain the true state of his health.
The delegation which arrived Saudi Arabia late on Thursday from Abuja had breakfast with Yar’Adua yesterday morning after a brief meeting.
The PDP national chairman who spoke exclusively to THISDAY yesterday evening said the president was in good health and “doing very well.”
Ogbulafor said: “We had breakfast with the President this morning. He’s responding positively to treatment. Don’t forget he’s also a human being.”
The whole country lately has been awash with rumours of the president's well being and possible "death" following reports that he had undergone surgery and had gone into coma.
But the President while speaking with Mr. Nduka Obaigbena, Chairman/Editor-in-Chief of THISDAY, on the telephone last Sunday described reports of his rumoured death as "grossly exaggerated."
When asked by Mr. Obaigbena if everything was all right with him, the President replied: “All is well. I'm very okay.”
Sources revealed that although the President travelled to Saudi Arabia ostensibly to perform the lesser Hajj, he might have received medical attention, leading to speculations over the state of his health.
Also early in the week, the Federal Government in a statement allayed concerns over his health, stating “the President is very well and in good health to steer the affairs of the state.”
The Minister of Information and Communication John Odey dispelled the rumour about Yar'Adua's health in a two-paragraph statement in Abuja.
He said: “The Federal Government wishes to appreciate the concern that has been raised in the newspapers and some sections of the media over the past few days on the state of health of Mr. President, Alhaji Umaru Musa Yar Adua, and to restate here that Mr. President is very well and healthy.
“He is in good health to steer the affairs of the state to bring about better livelihood for the generality of the people of Nigeria. He is expected back in Nigeria soon after his trip to Saudi Arabia where he has gone on lesser hajj.”
The statement was, however, silent on reports in some newspapers that the President underwent surgery in a hospital in Saudi Arabia.
The matter of Yar'Adua's health has become an issue since the days following his nomination as the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate for the April 19 2007 presidential election when he was rumoured to have died during a medical trip to Germany in the thick of the campaign.
Former President Olusegun Obasanjo had to publicly call Yar'Adua at a presidential campaign rally in Abeokuta where the latter who was then receiving medical treatment abroad dispelled rumours of his death.
But speculations about President Yar'Adua's ill-health were rekindled more recently last May when he had to keep an appointment with his doctors in Germany again over what was ostensibly attributed to an allergic reaction.
Since his current trip to Saudi Arabia, the rumour mill has been agog over the exact nature of his illness and when he’ll be in a position to return to Nigeria.
Nigerian leader appears in public
ReplyDeletePresident Umaru Yar'Adua refuses to say exactly what he suffers from
Nigerian President Umaru Yar'Adua has appeared in public for the first time in two weeks, marked by speculation and rumour about his health.
He presided over the swearing-in of new military chiefs in the capital Abuja.
The president, who suffers from a chronic condition which affects his kidneys, was receiving treatment in Saudi Arabia.
President Yar'Adua also sacked a high-ranking government official who had been linked with the rumours.
Secretary to the Government of the Federation Baba Gana Kingibe was removed and replaced by former Defence Minister Mahmud Yayale Ahmed, it was announced by e-mail.
Constitutional problem
The president's continued ill-health posed a problem for Nigeria's constitution, political scientists told the BBC.
If he were to step down, or die, he must be replaced by Vice-President Goodluck Jonathan, who is from the country's southern Delta region.
But according to the ruling People's Democratic Party's own formula for sharing power among the country's regions, the president must be a northerner.
Rumours circulating among journalists and political pundits said the president was going to step down because of his ill-health and Mr Kingibe would step in as a kind of "puppet-master" Vice-President.
Mr Kingibe, from Borno state in north-west Nigeria, was the vice-presidential running mate in the 1993 elections, annulled by former military ruler Ibrahim Babangida.
He was also Minister for the Interior under Mr Babangida's successor General Sani Abacha.
It was during this time that Shehu Yar'Adua, the current president's brother, was imprisoned.
Shehu Yar'Adua, a former vice-president, died in jail.
'Pilgrimage'
When he left Nigeria, President Yar'Adua said he was going to Saudi Arabia to visit the Muslim holy city of Mecca.
Rumours about his worsening state of health spread after it was confirmed he was in a hospital in Jeddah.
Spokesman for the opposition Action Congress (AC) Lai Mohammed told the BBC's News website the country was on "auto-pilot".
President Yar'Adua has suffered from a condition affecting his kidneys for at least 10 years.
He has twice been flown to Germany for emergency medical treatment in the last 18 months.
Mr Yar'Adua has refused to say exactly what condition he suffers from, and has repeatedly said in interviews that his life is "in the hands of God."
Yar'Adua resumes, opposition urges probe
ReplyDeleteBy Martins Oloja (Abuja), Bayo Ohu (Lagos) Saxone Akhaine, (Kaduna) and Abiodun Fagbemi (Ilorin)
AS silence persists in the Presidency over the state of health of President Umaru Musa Yar'Adua yesterday, the opposition political parties under the umbrella of the Conference of Nigeria Political Parties (CNPP) have called on the National Assembly to investigate the President's ability or otherwise to continue performing his constitutional roles. Meanwhile, expectations are high that he would resume work at his desk today.
President Yar'Adua reportedly returned from Saudi Arabia in the early hours of Saturday morning after about two weeks absence during which he was reported to have had medical treatment over kidney-related problems.
His manner of travel and state of health had sparked wild speculations within and outside the shores of the country.
In spite of the speculations and sundry reports in the media at the weekend, no word still has come from the seat of power at press time on the health of President Umaru Musa Yar'Adua. Indeed, many Nigerians are expressing worries over the rationale behind the return of the President at 3.00am on Saturday. "If something was not amiss, why would a President whose absence had generated so much concern all over the would be smuggled into his country in the dead of the night?", a political activist wondered yesterday. And, he added: "Why is it difficult for anybody around him to see the wisdom in letting his countrymen and women see him, even if he is on a wheel-chair?"
State House reporters were not briefed yesterday nor was there any statement from the Information and Communications Ministry on the arrival of the President from the "lesser hajj."
Expectedly, in the absence of official statement yesterday, the rumour mill was still active as various versions of even the president's whereabouts persisted in Abuja. One version claimed that the president had indeed temporarily relocated from the Presidential Villa to ward off intruders, including ministers and other state officials.
Meanwhile, an uneasy calm persisted in the political terrain as even ministers and top government officials were making inquiries from the media that were not briefed about the president's whereabouts and when he would resume duty.
Specifically, no one could claim to have seen the president's face since the reported arrival. Nor was there any word about when and how he arrived as no reporter was at the airport when report claimed he arrived in the early hours of Saturday in Abuja.
Similarly, no one has had access to any programme of activities for the president. But another reliable source said yesterday that the president may address the nation today.
According to CNPP, the circumstances under which Yar'Adua travelled abroad for treatment without the knowledge of Nigerians and without handing over officially to the Vice President, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan was also a breach of the nation's constitution.
Speaking on the issue at the weekend, the national chairman of CNPP and one time civilian governor of Kaduna State, Alhaji Balarabe Musa, urged the National Assembly to immediately live up to its constitutional responsibility by constituting a medical board of inquiry to investigate Yar'Adua's condition of health and his ability to perform his constitutional functions as the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
Saying that the governing of a nation like Nigeria with all its enormous socio-economic and political problems required effective leadership, Musa argued: "My advise to the National Assembly is that they should begin to consider the provisions of the constitution with regards to the health of the President."
"We in the opposition parties think of the necessity of calling for a body of inquiry regarding the health status of the President and his capability to rule Nigeria, and perform as the President of the country."
Said Alhaji Musa: "There is a procedure by the constitution which requires the National Assembly to take steps to ensure that a medical board of inquiry is constituted to investigate the state of health of the President and his ability to perform his statutory roles effectively. This is a President who left the shores of this country for more than 15 days and without officially handing over to his vice president and without informing Nigerians that he was going for medical attention. And even as at now, nobody knows the status of medical health of the President. Everything is still shrouded in secrecy."
Musa further noted that "even if the treatment of President Yar'Adua involves surgery, they should take steps to first ensure that the vice president takes over and secondly, that Nigerians are properly informed about his condition before travelling abroad for medical attention."
Also, the Northern Leader of Civil Society groups and chairman, Socialist Front (S.F), Malam Shehu Sani blamed the Federal Government for not informing Nigerians adequately about the state of health of President Yar'Adua before his recent trip to Saudi Arabia for medical attention.
According to him, for a country like Nigeria , the government should not take the will of the people for granted because "even President Yar'Adua needs the prayers of Nigerians at all time for the proper functioning of government and himself in government".
"Look at the history of all countries around the world, the conditions of health of their Presidents are not kept in secret. We have the cases of Israel, whose leader was hospitalised for a long time, that of Cuba, Fidel Castro, Palestine, Egypt and several others. The various governments did not keep the health condition of their presidents in secret, why should our own case be different?" he wondered.
However, Sani argued that "just like I said before now, it would be better for President Yar'Adua to consider his health and attend to it as a private person than to allow the affairs of the nation to overweigh him.
"Nigeria is a complex nation that needs a lot of attention, the health of the nation is as important as the health of the President", he added.
However, one of the president's close associates who spoke to The Guardian yesterday said the president is in a sound state of health and will be at his desk to attend to affairs of the state as from today.
Allaying fears that Yar'Adua may soon travel out to receive further medical treatment, he said the president was not only healthy but in high spirits. "I was part of those who received him at the airport on Saturday morning and I was still with him in the night of Saturday and I was very happy to see that he is on top of the situation.
"Although I may not claim to know his official itinerary and schedule of work since I am not one of his personal aides or official protocol personnel, I can say that I know him and he did not tell me he will travel out again even to Katsina".
While assuring Nigerians of President Yar'Adua's commitment to providing the required leadership for the country, he urged them to always be positive in their thoughts and to pray to God to strengthen the president so that he can tackle with vigour the affairs of state, especially the implementation of the seven-point economic agenda for the benefit of the generality of Nigerians.
In Katsina, those who spoke said they were happy to see Yar'Adua back, strong and in good health, even though the people of the state were not so apprehensive and agitated with rumours and speculations over the state of health of the president. "We know from the onset that he will get over it because this is not the first time he will go for medical treatment abroad and stay away for a long period", Alhaji Mamman Karofi, former civil servant in Katsina State said.
Family members visited the Yar'Adua family house, Gidan Muttawallen to greet and rejoice with the president's aged mother, Hajia Dada Musa Yar'Adua over the return of her son to the country.
According to Malam Yussuf Abba Galandachi, a family member: "Some family members from Katsina and Dutsinma, home town of Hajia Dada came around to greet her yesterday, (Sunday) and they offered prayers together."
Meanwhile, the Katsina State governor, Alhaji Ibrahim Shehu Shema, who had travelled to Saudi Arabia on Thursday to see the president and be part of his entourage back to the country has not returned to Katsina.
The Kwara State Governor, Dr. Bukola Saraki yesterday evaded a specific question bothering on his alleged involvement in the alleged oversea medical trip of President Musa Yar'Adua.
Saraki, shortly after his plane touched down at the tarmac of Ilorin International Airport at about 4:55pm after what he described as "a long vacation", said the media and Nigerian politicians rather than engaging themselves in "speculation" on "a very sensitive issue" should have been more "patriotic."
Besides, he sharply criticized some speculative reports in some newspapers yesterday describing him as one of the few privileged Nigerians allowed to see the President on his return from what the Presidency called lesser hajj in Saudi Arabia.
He said: "This is an important matter that affects the President of our country. It is a sensitive issue. It is something not to speculate about. In fact, the media report on it has given us a lot of concerns.
"We should have been cautious with our speculation. All we need is prayer and patriotism, not even politicking. One newspaper reporter called me yesterday and said he heard that I was among the few Nigerians allowed to see the President on arrival, when actually I was in London," he added.
He talked about his last week visit to the Yar'Aduas during the birthday anniversary of the President's wife, Turai, adding that the issue of life and death should be handed over to God.
Saraki, who is also the incumbent chairman of the Governors Forum, urged the people of the state to shun religious bickering, noting that no meaningful development could be achieved in an atmosphere of hatred.