PRESS RELEASE FROM DAYO COKER

PHOTO: SOME MEMBERS OF THE PRESIDENT'S ECONOMIC TEAM. L-R: EDEVBIE, MANSUR, USMAN, TANIMU AND NWEKE.

Nearly two months after his mysterious disappearance, President Yar'Adua (or a talented thespian) inexplicably elected to address the country via the BBC. Yet, no one can independently verify the authenticity of the voice that assured worried Nigerians that "I am getting better."

As his cowardly army of supporters declare victory and accuse the press of incendiary sensationalism, many pertinent issues must be addressed.

First, there is no proof that the quavery voice we heard on radio belonged to the president and even if it were his, the whole affair is dubious unless the BBC can provide evidence that it was recorded two days ago.

Second, members of the president's cabinet are guilty of high treason and must be tried immediately. For two months, they have lied to their fellow citizens. Curiously, they have continued to award contracts to their cronies while they take advantage of the vacuum in Aso Rock.

Third, the BBC cannot be trusted. And as long as the Crown continues to support Nigeria's Northern elite, the BBC must be viewed with suspicion. This mouthpiece of imperialist Britain has been involved in numerous scandals ranging from fraud to ethical lapses. In spite of its so-called independence, it is funded by the British public trust and is first and foremost a propaganda machine. It is absurd that British media organisations are so influential on the African continent. Even if he was really the one on tape, why must our president break his silence this way? What happened to the local media who are the custodians of the people's trust?

Full Disclosure.

The citizens of Nigeria deserve to know the truth. In my campaign against the larcenous Erastus Akingbola and his fellow goons in the financial sector, I argued for full disclosure from the banks. This phrase has now become a mantra. So why does a president that expressly supported the reforms in the banking sector fail to reveal his true medical condition?

Enough of this dangerous obscurantism! The president must allow the esteemed members of the Nigerian press to visit him and communicate their findings to the Nigerian people.

Dayo Coker is a blogger and economic analyst.