By Emma Amaize
WARRI — EX-MILITANT leaders — High Chief Government Ekpemupolo, alias Tompolo; Ateke Tom, Victor Ben Ebikabowei, alias Boyloaf; Farah Dagogo and others, yesterday, joined other Nigerians in praying for the quick recovery of President Umaru Yar’Adua, who is on hospital bed at the King Faisal Hospital, Jeddah in Saudi Arabia.

He is undergoing treatment for acute pericaditis, an inflammation of the heart.

Tompolo, who is an evangelist, led the other ex-militant leaders in the prayers. In a statement he sent to Vanguard, yesterday, he said, “I, High Chief Government Ekpemupolo (Tompolo) on behalf of Ateke Tom, Victor Ben Ebikabowei, Farah Dagogo, Ogunbos, Joshua Macaiva, Africa, Young Shall Grow, Chief Bibopere Ajube, John Togo, Chief Jacob Odiki, Chief Mosco Johnny, Ezekiel Akpasibewei, and others too numerous to mention wishes President Umaru Yar’Adua quick recovery from his ailment.

“We pray the Almighty Allah to continue to guide, protect and preserve him for the good work God has sent him to do in Nigeria”, he asserted adding, “We want to assure you Mr. President that we are solidly behind you and fervently praying for your speedy recovery”.

The ex-militant leaders also felicitated with Mr. President and other Muslim faithful across the world on the occasion of the celebration of the Muslim feast of Eid-El-Kabir.

The Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Mr. Olusegun Adeniyi, made public the state of health of his principal last week when he read a statement entitled: “President Yar’Adua’s Health Condition” sent from Jeddah by the President’s Personal Physician, Dr. Salisu Banye.

According to him, the President felt very bad after receiving the news of his death.

According to the statement, “at about 3:00pm of Friday, November 20th, after he returned from the Abuja Central Mosque where he performed the Juma’at prayers, President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua complained of left sided severe chest pain. Preliminary medical examinations suggested acute pericarditis, (an inflammatory condition of the coverings of the heart)”.

According to him, “it was then decided that he should undertake confirmatory checks at the King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Centre in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia where he had his last medical check-up in August”.

On the possible date of return by the President, the Presidential aide said “once I know I will tell you; I will give you an update”

Yar’Adua’s health; reason for Constitution review —AC

Meantime, the Action Congress, AC, has said the health of President Umaru Yar’Adua and the succession debate it has generated have brought to the fore the need to urgently review the 1999 Constitution to remove the in-built confusion in its current state.

In a statement issued in Lagos yesterday, by its National Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, AC said it was deeply concerned by the media report that unnamed forces were putting pressure on Vice President Goodluck Jonathan to resign, so he would not assume the presidency as stipulated by the Constitution, in case his boss is unable to complete his tenure.

“Despite the rush to deny the veracity of the story by the office of the Vice President, we know there is no smoke without fire and we are concerned that some dark forces can be plotting to thwart the Constitution for whatever reasons.

“We demand to know the identity of this dark mafia. We want to know who these people are, who want to continue to run this country on the basis of a cabal. We ask the VP to show courage and tell Nigerians if indeed he is under pressure to resign, instead of rushing to deny the story,” AC said.

It said apart from the executive arm of government, the only other arms known in law are the legislative and the judicial arms, wondering whether any one of the three arms is behind the alleged pressure on the VP.

The party acknowledged, however, that the issue of succession in the presidency is not as clear cut as it may seem, and that the provision for the VP to assume the office of his boss, for whatever reasons, is not automatic

‘’This is because, according to the Constitution, the process for determining whether or not the President is capable of discharging the functions of his office can only be started by the members of the Executive Council, who are all appointees and presumed loyalists of the President.

‘’As things stand, does anyone really expect that members of this council can indeed elevate national interest above their parochial views and personal interests to declare that the President is no longer able to perform his statutory functions, even if he is not?

‘’Even if the council defies this characterisation and makes the declaration, does anyone honestly think the PDP-controlled National Assembly will set up a medical panel that will be courageous enough to certify that the President can no longer function in his official capacity? The truth is that Chapter Six of the 1999 Constitution, which deals with this issue, is skewed against any orderly succession.

“This is why well-meaning Nigerians are calling for the review of this and other aspects of the Constitution that was loaded with booby traps by its authors, perhaps because of their personal interests at the time the Constitution was made,’’ AC said.