We Want A Visible President- Nigerian Protesters

PHOTO: MEMBERS OF THE SAVE NIGERIA GROUP AT WEDNESDAY'S RALLY.

San Francisco March 10, (THEWILL) - Nigerians in their hundreds gathered in Abuja on Wednesday for a march to the presidency to demand that that ailing Nigerian ailing leader, President Umaru Yar'Adua make a public appearance.

President Yar’Adua, 58, has not been seen in public since his presumed return to Abuja about two weeks ago in an air ambulance from Saudi Arabia, where he was flown for medical treatment for heart and kidney conditions.

The secretive manner he was ferried into the country has raised suspicions that his kitchen cabinet led by his wife, Turai had planned to use him as pawn in their power game to checkmate Acting President, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan.

The Save Nigerian Group, SNG, a group of pro democracy activists in the country staged a similar rally in January to compel the National Assembly to declare Yar’Adua incapacitated.

Some of the protesters wore T-shirts with "Save Nigeria Group" on the front and "Enough is Enough" on the back, and carried placards with inscriptions like "Turai, leave Nigeria alone" and "Jonathan get decisive now."

Babatunde Ogala, a politician from Lagos in his address to the crowd said, "We want the invisible president to be revoked. We are tired of a president we can't see, who can't govern.

"We want to see him, if we can't see him we want someone else who is allowed to govern. Why is a cabal controlling our country," he queried.

The Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Alhaji Ahmed Yayale was a surprise guest at the rally. He met the protesters near the gate to the Presidential Villa.

He was handed a protest letter for onward delivery to Nigerian Acting President.