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At the meeting of the executive council
of the federation today,it was resolved
that a delegation comprising six
cabinet ministers be sent to SaudiArabia
to locate President Umaru Musa YarAdua
with a view to ascertaining the true
state of his ailment.Though it is
couched as a fact finding
mission,insiders view this development
as the beginning of a process which may
lead to the ultimate impeachment of
President YarAdua.
The six man fact finding delegation
includes Abba Sayyadi Ruma, the
Minister of Agriculture, Professor
Babatunde Osotimehin, Minister of
Health, Rilwan Lukman, Minister of
Petroleum Resources, Ojo Madueke, the
Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ahmed
Yayale, the Secretary to the Federal
Government and Adetokunbo Kayode,
Attorney General and Minister of Justice
who replaced Mike Aondoakaa last
week.Ruma who is in the team is known as
the rallying point of the pro YarAdua
forces repeatedly churning out deceitful
schemes with a view to perpetuating
their principal in power despite his
well-known illness.
But the decision to send a delegation
which reportedly came on the heels of a
stormy cabinet meeting today finally
ends the game of deceit by minister that
YarAdua is fit to hold on to power as
president.Saharareporters actually
reported earlier today that Yayale Ahmed
stunned fellow ministers when he
insisted that the appropriate law should
be invoked to declare the president
unfit .A stormy session ensued
culminating in the constitution of the
six man panel after pro YarAdua
ministers also argued fervently for
him.But the constitution of the fact
finding delegation may signal the
beginning of the end for YarAdua’s
presidency.The stormy session is a
vindication of Professor Dora Akunyili
who had two weeks ago called on YarAdua
to transmit power to Jonathan.That
earned her the wrath of Aondoakaa .But
it was clear today that more ministers
believe Akunyil was right.It is strongly
believed in Abuja that if the panel
succeeds in meeting YarAdua,its report
that may form the kernel of the
communication between the executive
council of the federation ,excof and the
national assembly.That is the way those
who want YarAdua finally dumped see
things as they stand now.If the report
confirms what the independent press and
diplomatic sources have described as the
very bad shape of YarAdua, then there
may be no stopping his impeachment
afterwards .
But no one seems to be reckoning with
the manipulative and negative cunning of
Turai, the president’s wife and her
associates.She has effectively prevented
top officials of government including
state governors and party chieftains
led by Vincent Ogbulafor chairman of the
ruling PDP from seeing YarAdua in
Jeddah.With this background, it is
difficult to see why the deeply divided
ministers think Turai will allow them
access to her husband now.Perhaps the
federal government will rely on the
Saudi authorities to facilitate access
to the president.
Otherwise , the trip may just be another
wild goose chase which may end up buying
time for YarAdua’s men to perfect their
anti-Jonathan scheme.The national
assembly passed resolutions declaring
Jonathan acting president last week much
to the shock of Turai and her cabal.
If the trip fails to end this crisis
over YarAdua’s absence, many may blame
acting President Goodluck Jonathan for
failing to stamp his authority by
dissolving the cabinet much earlier.His
soft approach may just pave way for the
selfish schemers to continue to hold the
nation to ransom.Even the redeployment
of Aondoakaa rather than an outright
sack may have given the pro YarAdua
forces a sense to keep piling pressures
towards their clandestine goals.Will the
acting president now stamp his
authority? Nigerians are watching.
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