Written by Idowu Samuel, Abuja
Saturday, February 6, 2010

Indications pointing towards an early resolution of the vacuum in government owing to the prolonged absence of President Umaru Musa Yar'Adua have started emerging

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as more members of Cabinet have started paying solidarity visit to

Vice President Goodluck Jonathan, Saturday Tribune can reveal.

Findings have revealed that the Minister of Information, Dr Dora Akunyili, who insisted on the need for Yar'Adua to hand over to his deputy during the last Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting was not the only Cabinet member who shared the view.

Besides Akunyili, three other Ministers, one from south-south, another from the Middle Belt and the third from south-west, according to findings, had agreed to advise the last FEC meeting on the need to advise Yar'Adua to transmit the required letter to Jonathan in line with constitutional stipulation, only that the Information Minister beat them to it by putting her thought in a memo, which was eventually turned down.

Saturday Tribune also learnt on good authority that two core members of the so called kitchen cabinet of President Yar'Adua had visited the vice president twice during the week, pledging secret loyalty to him, even amid strident support being cast for the President by different groups and prominent individuals from the north.

The sudden support being gained by the vice president from unusual quarters of late, findings have revealed, was not unconnected with the stark reality that even if President Yar'Adua returns to Nigeria, he may not muster the full strength to resume work immediately as he earlier assured in his interview with the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC).

The rethink on President Yar'Adua's issue by Cabinet members, as revealed by investigations arose from the latest picture being painted on his health condition by those said to have managed to see him where he is being kept in Saudi Arabia, and which conveyed an impression that he should not be expected back on his presidential seat very soon.

An Abuja based public commentator, Alhaji Buba Galadima, had revealed that the fear of possible Sack in the post Yar'Adua regime had informed the resolve by FEC members to declare him fit to continue in office, notwithstanding that no cabinet members had had the opportunity to see him after leaving the shores of the country, and notwithstanding that no medical report on the President's true health situation was presented to FEC.

President Yar'Adua's Adviser to the National Assembly, Alhaji Muhammed Abba Aji had, during the week, dropped the signal about an end time game for the President when he assured that the expected letter of vacation from the President on his health condition would reach the National Assembly in a matter of days.

Although the ranks of state governors who, hitherto, constitute a powerful support base for President Yar'Adua appear to have been broken. A good number of them who met in Abuja on Thursday night resolved to support the vice President to take over the function of president Yar'Adua in acting capacity.

The Governors Forum who issued a communiqué to that effect urged members of the FEC to continue according the vice president all necessary support that he deserves, even as members promised to make consultations with the leadership of the National Assembly on the need to respond to constitutional requirements towards facilitating the takeover of power by the vice president.