The current state of President Umaru Yar’Adua’s health has imposed a fresh reign of precaution at the Presidency with officials paying extra attention to what they do or say.

THE pericardium is the thin layer of specialised tissue that covers the outer surfaces of the heart. This tissue helps to anchor the heart in place, prevents excessive movement of the heart in the chest when body position changes, protects the heart from infections and tumours that develop in and may spread from nearby tissues, and may help keep the heart from enlarging.

The concern is based on developments which show that the President has a life-threatening condition that incapacitates him from carrying out his official duties effectively, knowing fully well that constitutionally, the Vice President has never really been in charge whenever the President is not available.

PRESIDENT Umaru Yar’Adua who is recuperating in a hospital bed in Jedah, Saudi Arebia has expressed sadness and disappointment over the widespread rumour of his death which rocked the nation since Wednesday; just as his Personal Physician, Dr. Salisu Banye, FWACP, has confirmed that the President is suffering from “Acute Pericarditis”, (an inflammatory condition of the coverings of the heart).

DETAILS and revenue estimates for the 2010 budget inadvertently omitted in the budget proposal submitted to the National Assembly on Tuesday were yesterday circulated to Senators.

A POLICEMAN attached to Iyaganku Central Police Station, Ibadan went beserk yesterday, following the death of his child at Oni Memorial Children Hospital, and sprayed tear gas into the ward leaving other children on admission at the time on danger list.

INFRASTRUCTURE development topped the Federal Government’s agenda in THE Capital Expenditure of the N4.07 trillion budgetary proposal for 2010 laid separately before the Senate and the House of Representatives yesterday.

The Senate and the House of Representatives will separately receive the Federal Government’s 2010 budget of N4 trillion today, dousing the tension that had existed between the two houses over the venue for the budget presentation.

President Umaru Yar’Adua has summoned the Senate President and Speaker of the House of Representatives — David Mark and Oladimeji Bankole — over the 2010 budget presentation row which has pitched the two legislative chambers against each other.

THE proposed constitution amendment and electoral reforms are the immediate victims of the current face-off between the Senate and the House of Representatives over supremacy.

The Re-branding Nigeria Campaign is working. The awareness has been created in towns, villages and local communities. The awareness is all over to the extent that Re-branding is a household topic even in the streets, at public places, motor parks, markets and in the media, Re-branding Nigeria is a topic for discussion every where in Nigeria.

THE Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, has thrown its weight behind the House of Representatives in its current face-off with the Senate over which chamber should host the President for the 2010 budget presentation.

WORRIED by the high rate of violence associated with general election, Delta State Commissioner of Police, Mr Yakubu Alkali, has sought for extra arms and ammuni-tion to meet up with the challenges as the 2011 general election draw nearer.

The war of supremacy between the Senate and the House of Representatives became an issue again yesterday, threatening today’s presentation of the 2010 federal budget by President Umaru Yar’Adua.

LAGOS — Transparency International yesterday ranked Nigeria 130th out of 180 countries surveyed in the 2009 corruption perception index.