R-E-V-E-A-L-E-D! Why Dying Yar’Adua Was Sneaked Into Nigeria Without Jonathan’s Knowledge – Tanko Yakasai. **we wanted YarAdua to die as a leader, instead dying as an ordinary person if he hands over to Jonathan because of his sickness. **Our fear was that once he transferred his power, they would never have allowed him to return to this country. Tanko Yakasai, adviser to President Shehu Shagari (1979-1983) on National Assembly matters has set the records straight on some issues raised by the former vice president, Alex Ekwueme. A prominent politician and elder statesman from Kano, Mr. Yakasai has been in politics since 1946 when he was just 20 years old. Since venturing into politics over 60 years ago, Mr. Yakasai has never been quiet and has never failed to speak up on any crucial political issue. The octogenarian sought out leading Hausa newspaper, RARIYA, to shed light light on why they made sure that Yar.Adua did not hand over to Jonathan even when they know that he is gravely sick. Excerpts: Question: I recall that even when you were agitating that Yar’Adua should not hand over power to Jonathan from his sick bed in Saudi Arabia; you were very few and did not get the support of Northern leaders? Answer: We were very few indeed; we were just about three or four. I was doing that because I saw what happened in Cameroun between Paul Biya and his predecessor, Ahmadu Ahidjo, when Ahidjo travelled for medical treatment. I was also doing it for posterity. Ahidjo’s advisers and medical staff advised him to abdicate and go for treatment, and then come back to reclaim his mandate when he returns. Ahidjo sought the advice of his mother and she told him that since the doctor said he has no medicine against death, he can’t stop you from dying, and if that is the case, you should rather die as a leader, instead of an ordinary person. That was what his mother reportedly told him. But Ahidjo chose to relinquish power to the person he felt he trusted the most. But what happened afterwards, even the French President on a visit to Cameroun informed Ahidjo that he has kept a scorpion in his pocket. In fact Ahidjo was shoved aside even during the farewell ceremony for the French President and it was made clear to him that he was a nobody. At the end of the day, words got to Ahidjo on a visit to his mother that plans have been concluded to arrest him there and he fled the country. He never went back till he died. It is the fear of such for Yar’Adua that we insisted that he should not transmit power to Jonathan, since the Constitution did not make it mandatory for him to hand over power. After all there was nothing Jonathan could not do in the absence of his boss. However, most northern governors and elders insisted that he should handover. A judge even said since Yar’Aua’s deputy is already running the government, there was no need for any documented transfer of power. Our fear was that once he transferred his power, they would never have allowed him to return to this country. That was why his ADC and CSO arranged with the Chief of Army Staff for him to be returned secretly at night without anybody’s knowledge. The fear was that if those in government or Jonathan knew about the return, he might order soldiers to go to the airport and prevent him from landing. That incident also gave the impression to the Southerners that we are not united. Q. When you were trying to convince Yar’Adua not to hand over power, did you let him know what you feared would happen if he did? Well, I never saw him since he assumed office. I only saw him before his inauguration when we visited him under the auspices of Northern Unity Forum. I never saw him since then. It is just a matter of common sense, foresight and experience. You know, up to now, they have been trying to return Ahidjo’s corpse to Cameroon, but the president has refused. He feared that if the corpse is returned it might be more popular than him who is in power. Yar’Adua too may not be allowed to return if he had communicated his decision to return, at least that was what his security details assumed. That was why he was returned secretly at night without anybody’s knowledge except the Army Chief, and I am not surprised.
Posted on: Sat, 23 Nov 2013 10:13:54 +0000
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