Nigeria’s Vice-President 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.

Nigerian President. Yar Adua

Mr Jonathan has been representing Mr 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 Mr Yar’Adua’s absence.

Vice president. Goodluck Jonathan

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 Africa’s most populous nation, evenly split between Christians and Muslims, over an alleged government cover-up designed to hide the severity of the 58-year-old’s condition.

Telegraph UK