Jonathan: Yar’Adua’s Aide Blocked Me From Acting Despite National Assembly’s Directive
Former President Goodluck Jonathan has remembered how he was prevented from managing Nigeria’s affairs by an adviser to his late principal and former president, Umar Musa Yar’Adua.
According to reports, Jonathan said in an interview with the Rainbow Book Club regarding his biography “My Transition Hours” that Yar’Adua wanted to transfer control of the nation’s affairs to him while he was unwell and away, but a presidential assistant would not deliver the letter to the National Assembly.
Jonathan said that the letter was sent by the late Yar’Adua when he was on a medical trip, but he did not identify the presidential assistant.
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Despite Yar’Adua’s serious sickness, the nation lacked a president, and there was no acting president when the vice president could assume the role, according to Goodluck Jonathan.
“Yar’Adua was the president and a Muslim from the north,” he continued. He succeeded Obasanjo, a Christian from the south, who held power for eight years. In order for Yar’Adua to return to the south and replace him with another, most likely a Christian, the Muslims in the north wanted him to stay for at least eight years.
However, the trouble was the health concern that arose. And for that reason, it was problematic to even let me act. Actually, a letter was drafted while Yar’Adua was undergoing a medical examination. According to the Constitution, the President must notify the Senate and the House of Representatives in writing before the Vice President can take any action.
“That letter was drafted, but the recipient—I won’t name them yet—who was one of Yar’Adua’s aides declined to deliver it to the National Assembly.
“Yar’Adua’s illness got so bad that he lost control of things.” As a result, our nation lacked an acting president and the president was unavailable. Yes, you can assume part of the president’s duties in your capacity as vice president.
In addition to being the prime minister, the president of Nigeria has two main duties. The first is that you are the head of state. The vice president can presume that no transfers are required. And I was doing that because we were approving ministerial memos during Executive Council meetings. Thus, the government continued to function without a Commander-in-Chief.
