Editor

When President Muhammadu Buhari on January 19 communicated a letter to the Senate informing them of his decision to proceed on a planned two-week medical vacation to the United Kingdom, little did we know that Nigeria will experience what would turn out to become a déjà vu.

Buhari travelled same day after briefing the Service Chiefs at the State House.

On February 5, the scheduled date of his return, the president sent another letter to the Senate saying he would be extending his stay.

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Today, seven years ago, President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua died while in office.

But the country is yet to learn anything from the circumstances surrounding his death.

The late president was flown to Germany attend to his failing health and later died in Saudi Arabia.

In an opinion piece titled, Umaru Musa Yar’Adua: The Legacy of a president, the author, Peregrimo Brimah, was quoted as saying, “Another battle Yar’Adua had to face was the recovery of Nigeria from the cabal. Obasanjo had literally sold Nigeria to private friends of his and his party. Tycoon Dangote had been selected and favored by president Obasanjo not only during his second appearance in civilian regalia but from his first show as military dictator when he gave Dangote exclusive importation rights. With the sale of Nigeria’s refineries to Dangote and Otedola, Dangote owned as much as half of Nigeria’s assets, which included Nigeria’s cement plants, a telecoms licence and mining concessions. Bashani Aminu had revealed as relayed in Wikileaks, that Dangote once gave Obasanjo a 35 million dollar private jet as thanks for his fruitful partnership.”

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Nobel Laureate, Prof. Wole Soyinka, in his tribute to the late president, wrote, “What passes for the Nigerian nation is nothing more than a tragic arena, and Yar‘Adua is only the latest tragic figure. The vampires, including those within his own family, turned him into a mere inert resource for their diabolical schemes. They have a reckoning with their conscience, assuming they know what the word means. One can only hope that, while mouthing sanctimonious platitudes such as ‘Power belongs to God,’ they have now learned that the politics of Do-or-Die cannot guarantee who does and who dies. They must stop playing God. I pray for the repose of the soul of their latest, much abused innocent victim.”

Another op-ed published on March 13, 2010 by Sahara Reporters titled, Enemies of Nigeria Otherwise Known as the CABAL (A Profile) listed names of those holding Yar’Adua and the country hostage. Top on the list was his wife, Hajia Turai Yar’Adua. Others were Yusuf Tilde, the Chief Security Officer to the President, James Ibori a former Delta governor, Michael Aondoakaa, the Attorney-General of the administration and Abdullah Garba Aminchi, the then Ambassador to Saudi Arabia.

Then Kwara Governor, Bukola Saraki and current Senate President was also named as part of the cabal. Adamu Aliero, a former FCT minister, Dimeji Bankole, former Speaker House of Representatives. Businessman, Aliko Dangote was listed as the Financier of the Cabal.

But seven years down the line, Nigeria is facing a similar situation as the president’s health status is unkwown. On his return to the country on March 10, Buhari told Nigerians that he had never been this ill in his life.

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That is not the real issue, anyone can fall ill, and the president does not have age on his side. Buhari may have the heart and desire to resign his position, saving the country from a political crisis, but the cabal around him will do all within their power to stop him from doing so.

So Nigerians need not only ask the president to reveal his health status, we also need to demand that the cabal putting this noose to his neck, leave him alone.

The current situation facing the president gives credence to the first lady, Aisha Buhari’s interview with the BBC Hausa service where she accused certain individuals of holding her husband hostage.

A repeat of the events of 2010, will do us no good, now is the time for the cabal to know that we are not going to allow them plunge the nation into an avoidable crisis.