Lagos, Nigeria (PANA) - Ailing Nigeria's President Umaru Yar'Adua may act this w eek to stem the worsening constitutional and governance crisis caused by his ill n ess by moving to empower his deputy to act for him while he recuperates from his

sickness, the local press reported.

Yar'Adua was flown to Saudi Arabia 23 Nov. for medical treatment after his docto rs found he was suffering from acute pericardities (inflammation of the outer li n ing of the heart).

But because the President failed to formally hand over the reigns of power to hi s deputy, governance has all but come to a halt, fuelling calls for his resigna t ion.

Also, PANA reported that President Yar'Adua's illness has had a regional impact, forcing the postponement of the annual ECOWAS Summit of Heads of State and Gove r nment - which he is supposed to preside over in his capacity as the ECOWAS Chai r man - from this month to next January.

However, the private Nation newspaper reported Monday that the President may thi s week comply with Section 145 of the country's Constitution, which reads: ''Whe n ever the President transmits to the President of the Senate and the Speaker of t h e House of Representatives a written declaration that he is proceeding on vacati o n, or that he is otherwise unable to discharge the functions of his office, unti l he transmits to them a written declaration to the contrary, such functions will

be discharged by the Vice President or the Acting President.''

The plan, according to the paper, is that the President may write the bicameral legislature to say he is proceeding on vacation to take care of his health, pavi n g the way for Vice President Goodluck Jonathan to become acting President.

Analysts told PANA Monday such a move will reduce the tension in the polity and perhaps stem the growing calls on the President to resign on account of his ill- h ealth.

``If indeed this is true, it will be a welcome development,'' one analyst told P ANA on the condition of anonymity. ``The issue is, why has it taken the Presiden t this long to act in accordance with the stipulations of the 1999 Constitution?' '

The President's long absence has already taken a toll on governance, as Vice Pre sident Jonathan has refused to sign key bills into law in an effort to avert a c o nstitutional crisis. Such bills include the 2009 Supplementary Appropriation Bil l .

Meanwhile, Nigeria's Ambassador to Saudi Arabia, Abdullahi Aminc, has said the P resident is currently on bed rest at the King Faisal Specialists Hospital and Re s earch Centre in Jeddah, where he is on admission.

``Since his arrival in the Kingdom, he has been feeling better by the day...the doctors will decide when he can leave,'' the Ambassador said in a statement.

Concerns about the President's health date back to 2007, when he had to be rushe d to a German hospital in the heat of the campaign for that year's general elect i ons.

Since then he has travelled to Germany and Saudi Arabia a number of times for me dical attention, each time fuelling fresh debate about his ability to govern Afr i ca's most populous nation.

Lagos - 14/12/2009