Thaindian News

Nairobi, Jan 14 (DPA) Nigerian courts were Thursday due to hear three cases aimed at shedding light on who runs the country in the absence of President Umaru Yar’Adua, who has been in a Saudi hospital since November.
Yar’Adua’s long absence due to a heart problem has angered many in Nigeria, as he has not handed over power to his vice-president, raising fears of a power vacuum.

A court on Wednesday ruled that Vice-President Jonathan Goodluck could rule in Yar’Adua’s stead, but could not be considered the official head of state.

The three separate cases - brought by an opposition activist, a rights group and the Nigerian Bar Association - call for Yar’Adua to officially hand over power to his deputy until he recovers and for all decisions taken by the cabinet in his absence to be invalidated.

Yar’Adua, 58, earlier this week told the BBC in an exclusive interview that he hoped to return home to resume his duties.

His remarks were the first since he left Nigeria in November for treatment in a hospital in the Saudi Red Sea city of Jeddah. They angered the opposition, who said he should have spoken to Nigerian media.

The president’s prolonged absence and silence had led to feverish speculation about the state of his health.

Doctors said in December that Yar’Adua was suffering from acute pericarditis, an inflammation of the lining of the heart. He is also known to have kidney problems.