* Says “acrimonious” govt officials risk sanction

*Sponsors of anti-FG campaign to be exposed

Vice President Goodluck Jonathan warned, yesterday, that “key officers of government” exploiting the absence of President Umaru Yar’Adua from the country to “cause acrimony and disunity” risked sanction.

Such officials, the VP said in a rare statement, were causing acrimony and disunity with a view to advancing “personal aggrandizement,” and declared that they “have every reason to fear.”

Vice President Goodluck Jonathan

Simultaneously, Nigeria’s ambassador to Saudi Arabia where the president is convalescing, Alhaji Abdullah Aminchi said he was “doing fine now; he is eating and resting.”
Jonathan’s warning.

Jonathan’s warning
The Vice President in a statement in Abuja through his Senior Special Assistant on media and publicity, Mr. Ima Niboro said:

“This morning, a national newspaper published a report claiming that the Vice President, Dr. Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, has so far refused to act upon the Justice Dan Abutu ruling of Wednesday, 13th January, 2010, to the effect that he can assume the duties of Mr. President in his absence in line with section 5(1) of the 1999 constitution, because he is awaiting a directive from the First Lady, Hajiya Turai Yar’ Adua.

“This report is entirely false. The VP wants to state clearly that the last time he spoke with the First Lady was on Tuesday, January 5th, after he spoke with the president.  Indeed, it was the First Lady that called back shortly after to exchange warm pleasantries with the Vice President.

There is no doubt that those who packaged the report are only attempting paint non-existent pictures to the Nigerian public in the effort to create mischievous scenarios of undecisivesness on the part of the VP. If we may ask, what was the crucial significance of the Abutu judgement that went over and beyond the subsisting scenario of the VP holding fort in the absence of the president?  What therefore would form the directive basis for desperately seeking Mr. President’s point of view in the light of that ruling?

May we also ask what crucial functions of the president the VP has declined to take upon himself since the Wednesday ruling? Barely 48 hours after the decision, we all witnessed how the VP led the Senate President, Speaker of the House of Representatives, the Chief Justice of the Federation and the service chiefs, to take the salute at the Armed Forces Remembrance Day.

“It is obvious that all these are part of the on_going effort by some well placed individuals, within and outside the administration, to take maximum advantage of the unfortunate situation that Mr. President, through no fault of his, has found himself health wise.  The sponsors of this false and wicked campaign are well known to the Federal Government, and in due time, they will be exposed and brought to book..

“We are aware that these same people are sponsoring ridiculous stories in the media to the effect that the VP has already prepared a list of ministers and top executives of key parastatals to dismiss from the administration. There is no need to state that these are obvious lies. The VP uses this occasion to state that key officers of government that are on top of their jobs need not harbour such fears. But those who, rather than focus on delivering this administration’s mandate to the Nigerian people, prefer to cause acrimony and disunity in order to advance personal aggrandisement have every reason to fear!

“The Vice President appeals to Nigerians to ignore the divisive strategies of those who do not wish the present administration well, and are anxious to bring the government to its knees by all means, whether fair or foul.
He remains eternally grateful to fellow compatriots who have continued to demonstrate unflinching solidarity to the nation in spite of these difficult times.  He also extends warm acknowledgments to the vast majority of patriots and citizens who continue to pray for the restoration of Mr. President’s health and his safe return to Nigeria.”

Yar’Adua doining fine – Ambassador
Also yesterday came a report from Riyadh that  President  Yar’Adua was “doing fine” as he recuperates after treatment at a Saudi hospital and is awaiting his doctor’s approval to return home.

“President Yar’Adua is doing fine now; he is eating and resting,” Nigeria’s ambassador in Saudi Arabia, Alhaji Abdullah Aminchi told AFP by telephone.

The Nigerian leader is staying in VIP quarters attached to the King Faisal Specialist Hospital in Jeddah where he took treatment.

Aminchi said it was not yet possible to say when he could return to Nigeria. “It depends on his doctors,” he said.

Yar’Adua was admitted for treatment for a heart_related ailment in the Saudi Red Sea city hospital on November 23.

His absence and long silence until a brief interview with the BBC last week has left the country in an administrative vacuum.

The Federal High Court in Abuja ruled on Wednesday that Vice President Goodluck Jonathan could carry out the president’s functions in his absence, but could not become acting president.

But opposition lawyers have petitioned courts to force Yar’Adua to install his deputy as acting president until he is well enough to return.