The brother of former President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua has disclosed that there was no need for the controversy that surrounded power in the last days of the late leader, as he (Yar’Adua senior) had constitutionally transmitted his office to his deputy, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan.
In an interview on Channel Television‘s Sunrise Daily on Friday morning, Senator Abdulaziz Yar’Adua, who represents Kaduna Central district in the upper legislative chamber, said that the former President requested to be returned to Nigeria while on his sick bed in Saudi Arabia.
Senator Yar’Adua his brother, who was President from 29th May 2007 to 5th May 2010 was asked what would happen when he returned to Nigeria, and he responded that he had already transmitted power to Jonathan.
Senator Yar’Adua, who became Chairman of the Northern Senators’ Forum on Thursday, said there was no need for the controversy over the state of health of the then President and the power tussle that ensued.
While the controversy lasted in the period the former President was on the sick bed, certain forces blocked all avenues to transmit power to the then Vice President Jonathan, as required by the constitution. The then President’s inner causus insisted that Yar’Adua had not transmitted power, and was not in a position to do so.
Pressure groups had to mount pressure on the establishment to comply with the constitution, and the the Minister of Information, Dr. Dora Akunyili (now Late) has to request the Federal Executive Council to apply the doctrine of necessity to have Jonathan assume power.
Yar’Adua was brought back to Nigeria and he died at the State House, Abuja on 5th May 2010, following which Jonathan was sworn in as President.
