Yar’Adua stands out among Nigeria’s presidents – Jonathan

Former President Goodluck Jonathan, on Tuesday, wrote a glowing tribute to mark the tenth anniversary since the demise of his boss and former President, Umar Musa Yar’Adua.

Jonathan, who was vice president to Yar’Adua from May 2007 to May 2010, said the late President left enduring legacies for Nigeria’s democracy.

Yar’Adua, a two-term governor of Katsina State, died in office as President, three years after he was elected in 2007.

Upon his demise, Jonathan, who was then his deputy, was sworn in as President in accordance with the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.


Jonathan later won the 2011 Presidential election and returned to office.

Celebrating his former boss in a statement on Facebook on Monday, Jonathan said Yar’Adua stood out among Nigerian presidents.

He wrote, “It has been a decade since His Excellency President Umar Musa Yar’Adua was snatched by the cold hands of death.

“He was a President like no other who lived and died for the sake of his country. He stood on the side of the people, toiling day and night to make their lives better.

“President Yar’Adua built strong bridges of hope, love, and understanding for which he became a force for national unity and positive change across our blessed land.

“In many ways, he stood out. He had an accommodating spirit and enormous goodwill that secreted a web around our national fault lines to strengthen the bond; thus leaving for his successors the task of reinforcing the band.

“President Yar’Adua no doubt left enduring legacies in his wholehearted devotion to the ideals of democracy, respect for peoples’ rights, freedoms and reason for living as well as the commitment to the rule of law and laws of equity and justice.

“I will continue to remember President Yar’Adua as a colleague and boss who became my brother and friend.”