The highly choreographed hauling of sick former Nigerian president Umaru Yar Adua in the cover of darkness back to Nigerian soil smelt of mischief. His loyalists are hell bent on returning him to power but his ill health is posing a big hurdle. He is very sick and Nigerians will not be convinced he is in a position to lead. The scheme appears to have stalled midstream at least for now and his apologists have been forced back to the drawing board.
The fact that lights were switched off at the airport, he was received with an ICU ambulance with top government officials unaware does not bode well for his return to office soon. Journalists were not allowed to cover him and indeed no photograph was taken of him attest to the fact he is still a very sick fellow. Many Nigerians would not believe he is well till they see him walking and talking at the least.
One question lingers on the minds of many: why bring Yar Adua back in the country when he is not recovered? One very obvious answer is a political scheme by his loyalists to pull the presidential carpet from Goodluck Jonathan’s feet. Yar Adua’s loyalists are scheming to wrest power back and make Yar Adua rule by proxy. This scheme however seems to have aborted.
For the power hungry schemers to abandon the maneuver means the former president is very ill and the conspirators feared the backlash from Nigerian public for propping a lame duck on the presidential seat. Most Nigerians interviewed by the BBC would wish only a fully recovered Yar Adua to return to his duties and for Goodluck Jonathan to act as president till then.
There is one worry though. It seems the conspirators are not done yet. Parliament had ordered that Yar Adua furnishes it with a letter once he comes back to the country. This he has done via his press statement. This poses risks. Could Musa Yar Adua be implying that he is now president and Goodluck Jonathan just executing the role of the president from his Vice Presidential seat? This could be true. The statement by the Presidential Secretary referred to Goodluck Jonathan as the VP and not acting president. The stage could be set for his return.
Already Yar Adua’s presence in the country is causing confusion among the ruling elite. The Executive Council meeting failed to take off. The power elite are realigning themselves afresh to take into account the return of Yar Adua.
This could signify stormy times ahead. A tug of war might emerge between Goodluck Jonathan and Yar Adua’s henchmen. The current relationship between Goodluck Jonathan and Yar Adua is anyone’s guess. Has Goodluck Jonathan been invited to visit the ailing president? I think no. Will he be allowed to see the former president in case he takes the initiative? No. He would have been the one receiving the president at the airport if the relationship would have been that good.
If Yar Adua ever get well and resume his duties. Goodluck Jonathan should consider himself jobless. Yar Adua will not waste a minute before sacking him. Just like he sacked the Justice Minister after assuming power, Yar Adua’s power brokers will do away with him in a flash.
I am worried that Yar Adua’s presence in Nigeria will embolden his loyalists to defy Goodluck Jonathan’s authority and set the stage for political uncertainty which will not be good for Nigeria’s stability.
The much we can do for now is to watch the scenario unfold and pray for Umaru Musa Yar Adua’s quick recovery.
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