The ACF argued that the FEC should have mustered the courage to tell Nigerians “the truth”, just as the Eminent Elders Group, led by former Head of State, General Yakubu Gowon (rtd), did by asking the President to hand over to Vice-President Goodluck Jonathan.

The Senate, however, said that despite the controversy generated by the President’s ill-health, it was not prepared to impeach him.

Yar’Adua has been away for medical treatment in Saudi Arabia since November 23, last year. He is suffering from acute pericarditis.

The FEC had, after its weekly meeting Wednesday, last week, declared that the President is fit to continue in office. 

But to the ACF, the nation’s constitution should be sacrosanct, while dealing with the issue and not the “unnecessary sentiments” of the FEC.

The forum in a text message to newsmen in Kaduna by its National Publicity Secretary, Anthony Sani, insisted that Yar’Adua should transmit power to Jonathan “since he can no longer govern the country”.

The forum noted with regret that the FEC was trying to play down the reality of the President’s health.

It argued that it would be in the interest of constitutional democracy for the right thing to be done, pointing out that the FEC resolution called into question the integrity of some of the country’s leaders.

It also commended members of the Eminent Elders Group, who visited Jonathan and Senate President David Mark during which they advised the ailing President to obey the constitution.

Its words: “The Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF) commends the Eminent Elders Group (as symbolised by former presidents/heads of state and elder statesmen) in lending its weight to the voice of those who have been saying that the National Assembly should pressure President Yar’Adua to transmit a letter to its leadership to the effect that he is on vacation or he is hospitalized in line with Section 145 of the constitution.

“This would be in the interest of constitutional democracy and in the interest of the nation and its economy.

“The resolution by the Executive Council of the Federation (FCE) that Mr. President is fit as a fiddle reeks of an attempt to cloak the fact and lack in patriotic courage because such is aimed at playing down on the reality of President Yar’Adua being either on vacation or incapacitated, considering the obvious that the President has been away from his duty-post for over two months now.

“This kind of resolution by FEC calls into questions our leaders’ commitment and adherence to constitutional governance, to the peaceful unity of the nation and to Nigeria’s image in the comity of nations.

“It is time for our leaders to enable the universal cliché, which posits that great leaders are defined by great challenges to come onto his own.

“Difficult times should bring about vision in our own leaders, who are expected to locate the courage of their patriotic conviction and demonstrate that they can pursue causes higher than themselves...”

Meanwhile, the Senate yesterday denied that it was planning to impeach Yar’Adua and Jonathan over the prolonged absence of the former.

The upper chamber said that it is responsible and patriotic enough to know that it cannot contemplate criminalizing ill-health.

“Anybody can fall sick at anytime. The issue of health lies with God,” it said in a statement.

The Senate had Wednesday, last week, met for about three hours behind closed-door and resolved to urge Yar’Adua to respect Section 145 of the Constitution by notifying the National Assembly of his medical vacation.

But reacting to reports in some national dailies of the threat by the Senate to impeach Yar’Adua, the upper house through a statement entitled:  Yar’Adua: Impeachment option not before the Senate, made available to the press in Abuja by its spokesman, Ayogu Eze, described such publications as wild speculations.

He explained that what the Senate did was to advise the President to transmit a letter to inform the National Assembly that he was on a medical vacation so as to bring down tension in the polity.

His words: “My attention has been drawn to some wild speculations in the media, suggesting that the Senate leadership was in favour of impeaching President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua and his vice over issues surrounding the President’s medical vacation. 

“What the Senate has done was to advise the President to transmit a letter informing the National Assembly that he is on medical vacation, as a way of bringing down tension in the polity and finding a way around a knotty constitutional lacuna. 

“As it is, given the way Section 145 of the 1999 Constitution is, there is nothing anybody can do to compel the President to issue the letter. However, as elder statesmen and representatives of the Nigerian people, we felt we had a duty to speak up in support of the right thing being done, even if the constitution had glossed over its necessity. 

“I wish, therefore, to state categorically that at no time did the issue of impeachment arise in the Senate either when the matter was taken in plenary or in closed sessions. 

“We are responsible and patriotic enough to know that we cannot contemplate criminalizing ill- health. Anybody can fall sick at anytime. The issue of health lies with God. 

“It is, therefore, mischievous to allege that the Senate leadership was in favour of impeaching the President and his vice. This was never discussed and was never contemplated. 

“I see it as the handiwork of spin doctors who are using everything at their disposal, including the ones that are so asinine, to frustrate every effort to find a political solution to a very obviously testy situation. 

“We all love our President. We all love our country too and will do whatever it will take to preserve her corporate existence. 

“Let me; therefore, restate for emphasis that there is no attempt to impeach the President or his Vice. There is equally no motion known to the Senate on the matter. The Senate believes that impeachment is a fractious process that will end up dividing the country and heating up the polity.

“Our resolution urging the President to do us a vacation notice is enough to produce the desired result, more so when our call has been backed by former presidents and the cream of Nigeria’s elder statesmen as well as the international community. 

“Let me once more appeal to our people, especially our journalists, to be wary of people who are bent on pushing this country off the cliff. The time calls for vigilance in whatever we do or so.
 

“Let us resolve to find a solution to the problem rather than constitute ourselves into the problem. 

“The leadership of the Senate is firm on the resolve of the upper chamber to remain responsible and not be blackmailed or provoked into any hasty decision. 

“Those who are planting these fabricated stories in the press, knowing same to be false, shall reap the fruit of their misadventure. My faith teaches me that no evil or malice committed against fellow human beings knowingly ever goes unpunished.”

The House of Representatives had last week threatened to impeach Yar’Adua, if he continued disobeying the provisions of Section 145 of the Constitution.

As at the weekend, more than 200 members of the House had signed a letter, which they intended sending to the President, warning him to obey the constitution, which he swore to defend, or risk impeachment.

They promised to send the letter “very, very soon”.

Also yesterday, elder statesman and veteran politician, Alhaji Tanko Yakasai condemned the composition of the Eminent Elders Group.

He said the members, who asked Yar’Adua to respect the constitution, were not sincere.

Yakasai, while addressing journalists on the state of the nation in Kano, expressed dissatisfaction with the group, wondering why the likes of former Information Minister, Professor Jerry Gana and Senator Jonathan Zwingina should be included.

According to him, the duos were least qualified to be in such an important and prominent group based on their age and status.