Nigerian President To Be Released From Hospital Soon

Nigerian President Umaru Yar'Adua will be released from a Saudi Arabian hospital as early as next week, a doctor said Saturday. Yar'Adua, 58, was hospitalized late last month but no reason was given. Reports implied he was being treated for a heart problem. He was no longer in the intensive care wing of a Jeddah hospital, and was undergoing 'routine medical tests,' the doctor said on condition of anonymity. Earlier this week, aides to the president said he was recovering and watching football matches. The Nigerian leader is believed to suffer from a kidney ailment dating back prior to his assuming the presidency and reportedly was hospitalized in the kingdom for an extended period in the past. Critics have stepped up their calls for the Nigerian leader to resign, citing his health problems and time away from the African oil-exporting country.