Dr. Jonathan can act for ailing president, court rules

Details: Category: Politics; Published on Wednesday, 13 January 2010 20:03; Written by Admin; Hits: 2051

Nigeria's Vice-President, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan can perform the executive duties of ailing President Umaru Yar'Adua, who is in hospital overseas, without a formal transfer of power, a federal court ruled on Wednesday.

goodluck2 The court verdict has now empowered the vice-president to start assuming the powers of an acting president," said Michael Aondoakaa, the attorney general.

The suit and the verdict are seen by many as part of a larger conspiracy that is intended to thwart other suits file in the same court by Barrister Femi Falana and others to compel the government to swear in the vice president as the acting president.

It was not clear when the vice-president would begin performing executive duties for the president. Officials at the vice presidency were not immediately available for comment.

Dr. Jonathan has been representing President Yar'Adua at cabinet meetings and official functions, but executive powers have not been transferred to him, leading to questions over the legality of decisions made by the government in Yar'Adua's absence.

The 58-year-old president made his first public comment on Tuesday since being hospitalised more than seven weeks ago in Saudi Arabia for a heart condition, saying he was recovering and hoped to return home soon.

The court's ruling followed protests in the capital demanding that the ailing president stand down.

Anger is growing in Nigeria, Africa's most populous nation, over an alleged government cover-up designed to hide the severity of the 58-year-old's condition who was rumoured to be dead some days ago.