Senate at its Tuesday morning sitting has passed a motion which empowers Vice President Goodluck Jonathan to act as the president in the absence of President Umaru Yar'Adua. Senate took this decision after the controversy which the long absence of President Yar'Adua has generated both within Nigeria and outside the country.

The motion was quoted as saying: “The Vice President Dr Goodluck Ebere Jonathan shall henceforth discharge the functions of the office of president, commander in chief of the armed forces of the federation as acting president.”

It was also gathered that same motion was still pending at the House of Representatives where members as at press time were said to be having discussion over it in a closed-door meeting.

Yar'Adua who has been out of the country since November 23, 2009, was said to be undertaking medical treatment in Saudi Arabia, for a heart-related ailment, without formally writing the Senate of his trip or hand over to Vice President Goodluck in the acting capacity.

To douse the tension which Yar’Adua’s absense has created, a Nigerian Federal High Court recently ruled that the Executive Council of the Federation should pass a resolution within 14 days to determine the health status of ailing president.