Nigeria’s President Out Of Intensive Care

Federal Executive Council Rejects Calls For His Resignation

San Francisco (THEWILL) - President Umaru Yar’Adua has come out of the intensive care unit (ICU) of the King Faisal Specialist Hospital in Jeddah according to highly informed sources familiar with his health.

THEWILL Newspaper was informed he was moved yesterday night/wednesday morning as Saudi doctors continue their treatment and observation of the 58 year-old leader who is suffering from both heart and kidney ailments. A source at the hospital who would rather remain anonymous when we called on Wednesday afternoon EST and introduced our paper said " the Nigerian President is a bit stable now but we are observing him closely and he is sleeping now, we are not sure when he will go home."

The president is reported to have been taken into the intensive care unit of the hospital three days ago (Saturday) after he became unconscious due to a sudden relapse. In the panic that ensued Mrs. Yar’ Adua ordered restricted access to him and only few family members were allowed access to him at the ICU facility in the hospital, which explains why no Nigerian politician including governors could not see him when they flew to Jeddah. Kwara State Governor Bukola Saraki is still holed up in the middle eastern city as at the time of writing this report.

Meanwhile THEWILL is unable to confirm reports that the President’s mother is pushing for his son’s resignation. Haija Dada Habib who is in her late 80’s was said to have told the President’s wife, Turai repeatedly during their their phone conversations that he should resign and concentrate on taking care of his health.

Her decision is said to be causing a rift in the family, as Turai is vehement on having him remain in office while the search for a permanent cure for his ailments are sought.

In another related development, the Federal Executive Council has said that there is no reason for the president to resign after it met in Abuja.

Minister of Information and Communication Dr. Dora Akunyili told a surprised media after the 46th meeting of the Council that there was no reason why the President should resign despite calls for his resignation.

“ Council, having reviewed all the facts on ground, unanimously resolved that there is no basis for the invocation of Section 144 of the constitution, for the reasons that the President has not been found incapable of discharging his functions” she concluded.

Yar’Adua was flown to the Jeddah hospital nine days ago without formally handing over to Vice President Goodluck Jonathan.

Calls for his resignation have continued to grow from Nigerians both home and in Diaspora.