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ABSENT: Nigerian politicians may be forced to make a tough decision over President Yar’Adua

Nigerian ministers are reportedly getting ready to remove President Umaru Musa Yar'Adua who is reportedly gravely ill.

According to AllAfrica.com ministers face a "big dilemma" as they consider a provision under Section 144 of the 1999 Constitution, which allows the Executive Council of the Federation (EXCOF) to begin the process of the removing the president by declaring him incapacitated.

The news website said the Senate will also set up a medical panel to examine him to verify the claim before removing him from office.

Speculation has been rife on who is actually in charge of Nigeria following Yar’Adua’s recent low key return, following three months of medical treatment in Saudi Arabia.

"Every effort to see Yar'Adua so far has been rebuffed by the people around him, especially the wife," a minister told the country’s This Day newspaper. "That is why we suspect that something is gravely wrong. The Yar'Adua we know, the one I've been working with, would have received us by now if he was in a good state"

Despite the difficult decision, one minister told AllAfrica.com "We just have to do the right thing in the interest of the country. We need to move forward."

Recent months have seen fierce debate over whether Vice President Goodluck Jonathan should take over Yar’Adua’s duties but Parliament and the national cabinet elected Jonathan as acting president on February 9.

Nigerian-born, U.S.-based human rights attorney Emmanuel Ogebe told Voice of America (VOA) some duties and leadership protocols have not yet been defined for Jonathan.

Nigeria has also voted to now limit to 14 days the time that Nigerian executives can be away from office without informing their legislature. VOA also said U.S. and British officials offered support to Jonathan to help stem fears over a possible power struggle. A presidential vote is expected in 2011.

Published: 31 December 1979
Issue: 1413

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