Senate group may table motion on access to Yar'Adua (http://www.businessdayonline.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=8869:senate-group-may-table-motion-on-access-to-yaradua&catid=85:national&Itemid=340)
•Reps may follow suitIts going to be another tense week as over 20 senators have agreed to sponsor a motion demanding that ailing President Umaru Yar'Adua be made accessible to Nigerians.Ailing Yar'Adua was smuggled into the country in the dark of night on Wednesday last week amidst tight security. Since then, his aides have built a wall of secrecy round him, preventing anyone including the Acting President Goodluck Jonathan from having access to him. Since his arrival, the Senate has shied away from commenting but senators have been speaking in hushed tones, expressing shock and disbelief about the whereabouts of the ailing president.Sources disclosed weekend that no fewer than 20 senators have planned to sponsor a motion to demand that aides of the ailing president come up with concrete evidence that indeed the President is in the country. Some of the senators have, however, declined to comment further on the planned motion but, according to a source close to one of the senators, "ordinarily, we should disregard what is happening because the Senate had not been formally informed but because of the tension being generated, senators want a response from whoever is keeping the president".Chairman, Senate committee on information, Ayogu Eze, would not comment on the latest development just like other principal officers, including the Senate president. A planned meeting of the leadership of the Senate led by Senate President David Mark with Acting President was hurriedly cancelled when Yar'Adua was smuggled into the country unannounced. Another source, however, disclosed that the planned motion may be delayed to await the decision of the Executive Council of the Federation on Wednesday when the acting president will brief ministers on the health of the president.Chairman, Senate committee on Navy, Bode Olajumoke, (PDP Ondo North) when contacted only said "the tension that had gone down with the resolution to empower Jonathan has suddenly risen and it is unfortunate". He said "we don't need to go through this painful path again; the way they have handled the health situation of Mr. President is not in the best interest of the president" and would not comment further. However, it was not clear what the position of members of the House of Representatives would be this week as sources disclosed that the speaker, Dimeji Bankole, may not be well disposed to members getting involved in the current crisis.Some of the lawmakers when asked to react to the arrival of Mr. President declined comment, while others who spoke under anonymity simply queried the media for sponsoring rumour about the arrival of the ailing president. The prevailing situation, according to some aides of lawmakers, may generate unrest during the week, as they foresee some members raising dust when plenary resumes on Tuesday. Some of the members had last week expressed displeasure over the inordinate attitude and decisions of the speaker towards his colleagues, debates and motions, including the Asset Forfeiture Bill raised on the floor of the House.
Source: Businessday :: News you can trust (http://www.businessdayonline.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=frontpage)