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The Director of the Abuja School of Social and Political Thoughts, Sam Amadi, has claimed that the body of former President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua was secretly returned to Nigeria from Saudi Arabia before the country was informed of his death.
Naija News reports that Amadi made the assertion on Tuesday during an interview on Arise Television while discussing public controversies surrounding the deaths of past Nigerian leaders and the need for greater transparency in governance.
According to him, the secrecy that surrounded Yar’Adua’s illness and eventual death reflected Nigeria’s broader challenge with documenting and investigating historical events.
Amadi said the circumstances surrounding Yar’Adua’s health became a national mystery because government officials were reluctant to provide accurate information to Nigerians.
“These map to a larger contest in this country that we have a problem with history. We have a problem with investigating facts, so if the president dies in office it should be known,” he said.
He recalled serving in government during the period, adding that little information was made available about the late president’s medical condition.
“I was active in office when Yar’Adua died, and issues around his health condition were such a taboo. Nobody spoke clearly as to what Yar’Adua’s issues were,” Amadi stated.
The former chairman of the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) said senior government officials travelled to Saudi Arabia to ascertain the condition of the then president.
“Then I was the Special Adviser, and Ojo Maduekwe and a couple of others had to fly to Saudi Arabia to inquire about what was going on with our president who was trapped there.
“The whole thing was shrouded in secrecy,” he said.
Amadi further claimed that Nigerians only became aware of the situation after Yar’Adua’s remains were brought back into the country.
“We never knew until late midnight when Yar’Adua’s corpse was smuggled in, and Jonathan became president,” he alleged.
That episode did not end with Yarradua alone since then, it has become a ritual in our government operandi that, president are not allowed to communicate with the people that they govern thereby, anyone can be said to be the president at a given time or place in Nigeria. Given rise to greater corruption in the system. It should be established as law that, everyday, the president must be seen alive talking to the citizens at one time or more than proxy unless, when on leave if not, it will be subject to impeachment for direliction of duty or, inability to perform because of, I’ll health, period which must take effect from 2027 and, strictly adhered to without fear or favor automatically implimeted to be taken out of office in a week procession by national Assembly drastically