Nigeria’s Acting President Goodluck Jonathan has told the BBC he has not seen or had “sustained discussion” with the ill president in about five months.

Umaru Yar’Adua went to Saudi Arabia for treatment in November 2009 and despite returning home in February has still not been seen in public.

Mr Jonathan gave no indication whether the president’s condition had improved.

He said he had not seen the president’s doctor but said he had spoken to his wife three times.

“I’ve not seen the doctor. I have had - on about three occasions - discussions with his wife,” he told the BBC’s Network Africa programme.

“And I’ve had discussions with some of the other aides.

“In terms of the last time we [Mr Jonathan and Mr Yar'Adua] really had sustained discussions, that was 26 November - I think so - yeah,” he said.

Mr Yar’Adua was flown to hospital in Saudi Arabia three days earlier, on 23 November.

Mr Jonathan said Mr Yar’Adua’s doctor had not tried to contact him.

“He [the doctor] has not come to me. I don’t want to compel him,” said the acting president.

source/full story: bbc