The 4.079 trillion Naira budget, which was announced by the federal government Tuesday, quickly gave way - on the front pages - to the news of the health of the
President, who was flown to Saudi Arabia Monday for medical treatment (US$1=150 Naira).
A day after the budget was announced, 'The Punch' made the news of the budget a rider to the President's health, reporting on its front page: ''Yar'Adua hospitalised... Budget benchmark pegged at $57 per barrel of oil''
Still dwelling on the budget, 'The Nation' said in its main headline Thursday: 'Presidency votes N28b for feeding, houses, others''.
``Of the presidency's N28.7 billion budget for next year, N0.7 billion is for feeding and entertainment. Rehabilitation of the presidential villa's banquet hall and 10 houses of the president's principal officers will take N522 million,'' the paper reported.
The Punch's follow-up headline on the budget Thursday was ''FG to buy five fairly used helicopters for the military'', with a rider; ''Food, others for President, VP to cost N2.3 billion.''
By Friday, however, all available newspapers devoted several pages to the news that the President is suffering from 'pericarditis', an inflammation of the outer lining of the heart.
Writing under the headline '''Yar'Adua has heart ailment'', The Guardian said: 'The presidency yesterday (Thursday) confirmed that President Umaru Yar'Adua, who is undergoing medical treatment in a Saudi Arabian hospital, is suffering from acute pericardi ties. This is an inflammation of the membrane surrounding the heart, which can restrict nornal beating of the heart.''
''Yar'Adua suffering from acute heart inflammation'' was how The Punch reported the story.
''As President Umaru Yar'Adua spends his fourth day in a Saudi Arabian hospital, the nature of his ailment is now known. He is suffering from acute pericarditis, an inflammation of the membrane surrounding the heart,'' the paper reported.
By Saturday, however, the debate had shifted to the issue of succession, in case the President, who has battled health challenges since assuming office in 2007, is unable to complete his four-year tenure which ends in 2011.
Under the Nigerian Constitution, the Vice President is expected to assume the presidency if his boss cannot continue in office for whatever reasons.
But under Nigeria's delicate power system, the post of the presidency is being rotated between the North and the South. A Southern President, Olusegun Obasanjo, held power between 1999 and 2007, before the office rorated to the North, with Yar'Adua as Presiden t.
However, analysts contend that if the current VP, who is a Southerner, were to assume the presidency, it could distort the rotation system.
Giving a filip to the analysis, The Punch reported Saturday that VP Goodluck Jonathan is under intense pressure to resign, so that the nation's number three citizen, David Mark, who is also a Northerner, could assume the office if necessary.
''Jonathan comes under pressure to resign'' was the headline in the paper. But the VP later denied the report, saying it was "false in its entirety".
Lagos - Pana 29/11/2009
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