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| Version 3 | Version 4 |
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| Nigeria's leader breaks silence | Nigeria's leader breaks silence |
| (10 minutes later) | |
| Nigeria's president, not seen in public since going into hospital in Saudi Arabia for heart treatment in November, has told the BBC he is recovering. | Nigeria's president, not seen in public since going into hospital in Saudi Arabia for heart treatment in November, has told the BBC he is recovering. |
| In his first interview since then, by telephone, Umaru Yar'Adua said he hoped to make "tremendous progress" and return home to resume his duties. | |
| His long absence and speculation over his health has led to calls for him to hand over power to his vice-president. | His long absence and speculation over his health has led to calls for him to hand over power to his vice-president. |
| The opposition plans a rally to demand details on the president's health. | The opposition plans a rally to demand details on the president's health. |
| Doctors said in December that President Yar'Adua was suffering from acute pericarditis, an inflammation of the lining of the heart. | Doctors said in December that President Yar'Adua was suffering from acute pericarditis, an inflammation of the lining of the heart. |
| He is also known to have kidney problems. | He is also known to have kidney problems. |
| Constitutional worries | Constitutional worries |
| Speaking by telephone to the BBC, Mr Yar'Adua said he was making a good recovery. | Speaking by telephone to the BBC, Mr Yar'Adua said he was making a good recovery. |
| "At the moment I am undergoing treatment, and I'm getting better from the treatment. I hope that very soon there will be tremendous progress, which will allow me to get back home," he said. | "At the moment I am undergoing treatment, and I'm getting better from the treatment. I hope that very soon there will be tremendous progress, which will allow me to get back home," he said. |
| "I wish, at this stage, to thank all Nigerians for their prayers for my good health, and for their prayers for the nation." | "I wish, at this stage, to thank all Nigerians for their prayers for my good health, and for their prayers for the nation." |
| Rumours had been rife that he was critically ill and unable to return to the presidency. An adviser to the president, Tanimu Yakubu Kurfi, told the BBC enemies of the president were behind the rumours. | Rumours had been rife that he was critically ill and unable to return to the presidency. An adviser to the president, Tanimu Yakubu Kurfi, told the BBC enemies of the president were behind the rumours. |
| President Yar'Adua's silence until now and the fact he did not appoint Vice-President Goodluck Jonathan to serve in his absence has led to fears of a constitutional crisis. | President Yar'Adua's silence until now and the fact he did not appoint Vice-President Goodluck Jonathan to serve in his absence has led to fears of a constitutional crisis. |
| There are three different court cases under way calling for power to be transferred to Mr Jonathan. | There are three different court cases under way calling for power to be transferred to Mr Jonathan. |
| There is a perceived danger of a power vacuum in a country that only saw the end of military rule just over 10 years ago, the BBC's Will Ross reports from the capital, Abuja. | There is a perceived danger of a power vacuum in a country that only saw the end of military rule just over 10 years ago, the BBC's Will Ross reports from the capital, Abuja. |
| Many Nigerians will be relieved to hear the president's voice, says our correspondent, but calls to hand over power to the vice-president will continue. | Many Nigerians will be relieved to hear the president's voice, says our correspondent, but calls to hand over power to the vice-president will continue. |
| Under the banner Enough Is Enough, an organisation called the Save Nigeria Group called people on to the streets of Abuja. | Under the banner Enough Is Enough, an organisation called the Save Nigeria Group called people on to the streets of Abuja. |
| The opposition plan is to march to the national assembly where senators are expected to be discussing the president's health. | The opposition plan is to march to the national assembly where senators are expected to be discussing the president's health. |
| Prominent opposition politicians and lawyers, Nobel laureate Wole Soyinka and the Biafran secessionist leader, Chief Emeka Ojukwu, will be among the demonstrators. | Prominent opposition politicians and lawyers, Nobel laureate Wole Soyinka and the Biafran secessionist leader, Chief Emeka Ojukwu, will be among the demonstrators. |
| It is not clear if the demonstration will be well attended, our correspondent says. | It is not clear if the demonstration will be well attended, our correspondent says. |
| Nigerians may be worried about their absent president but whether they will take time off to demonstrate is another matter, he adds. | Nigerians may be worried about their absent president but whether they will take time off to demonstrate is another matter, he adds. |