Date Published: 12/20/09

G-53 gives Yar'Adua one week ultimatum

Musa YarAdua

The Group of 53 which recently called on ailing President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua to resign over failing health has again issued a one week ultimatum within which the President should vacate office and allow Vice President Goodluck Jonathan to pilot the affairs of state.

The group in a statement argued that the absence of the President due to ill health has in no small measure slowed down development as supplementary budget, development plans for the Niger Delta and the Amnesty programs amongst others have all been stalled.

According to the group “The Group of 53 recently called the attention of Nigerians to the unhealthy development of President Umaru Yaradua going on medical trip abroad without handing over to the Vice-President as stipulated by the constitution.While sympathising with the President and wishing him quick recovery,we did ask the president to consider it a patriotic duty to resign and allow his Vice to carry on the business of state.”

“In torrents,all manners of "patriots" of convenience descended on us calling us names.
Today,the same set of "prayer warriors" are reportedly in power play of succession while still prescribing hypocritical prayers for the people.”

“Quite a number of developments have taken place since our call which have vindicated our stand that Nigeria should not totter on without a head:”

1)The 2009 Supplementary Appropriation Bill addressing critical issues in the Niger Delta among others and duly passed by the National Assembly cannot be signed into law because of the absence of the President;

2)The Amnesty Programme being personally coordinated by the President has run into a hitch and has led to protests by ex-militants and resumption of hostilities by MEND;

3)The 2009 National Honours list cannot be signed because the office of the president is not functioning;

4)The appointments of the new  President of the Court of Appeal and the Chief Justice of Nigeria have been confirmed but they cannot assume office because their oath of office that should constitutionally be administered by the President cannot be carried out in his absence. Technically, two out of the three arms of government are presently headless;

5)Though we are aware that the Federal Executive Council has been meeting under Vice President Jonathan Goodluck but by virtue of Section 114 of the 1999 Constitutions which says only the President can preside over such meetings, contractions who are taking approvals from such meeting are running a risk as decisions taken at such meetings are void;

6)Critical meetings of ECOWAS of which our president is chairman have been cancelled. Of Particular note were the meetings on Niger and Guinea where the Constitutions of both countries have been suspended by dictators.

In the light of the foregoing, we call on President Yaradua to immediately comply with section 145 of the constitution which requires him to write to the Senate President and the speaker of the House of Representatives that he has proceeded on medical vacation so that the Vice President can assume Presidential powers and run the country while he is away.

We do not think this country should carry on this way beyond the next SEVEN DAYS

Signed for the Steering Committee of G-53
Yinka odumakin.(O8033004665)
Osita Okechukwu(080397388870)
Engr.Buba Galadima(08037000159)