Nigeria’s President Umaru Yar’Adua is Dead: Breaking News

We just got the information that the Nigeria’s President Umaru Yar’Adua has died. Yar’Adua has been ill for some time suffering from Kidney ailment and had just returned from Saudi Arabia where he underwent an operation to rectify a problem with his heart.

According to BBC News

“Nigerian President Umaru Yar’Adua is dead, a presidential aide has confirmed to the BBC.

A spokesman, who did not want to be named, said Mr Yar’Adua died on Wednesday, although there has been no official announcement yet.

Mr Yar’Adua, who became president in 2007, had been ill for some time, and had not been seen in public for months.

After much wrangling, Vice-President Goodluck Jonathan was accepted as acting president in February.

Reports from Nigeria said Mr Yar’Adua died between 2100 (2000 GMT) and 2200 (2100 GMT) on Wednesday at his presidential residence in the capital, Abuja.

In November, Mr Yar’Adua went to a hospital in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, for several months, during which time he was not heard from.

He returned to Nigeria, but Mr Jonathan remained as acting president.“

The Vice-President had since assumed the role of Acting President. The had been political uncertainty looming in the country as the continuous power struggle between Yar’Adua’s camp and Jonathan’s people created tension in the country.

Yar’Adua’s  presidential spokesman Olusegun Adeniyi  has announced that the President died at 9 p.m. Wednesday at the Aso Rock presidential villa. Adeniyi   with his voice cracking, said Yar’Adua’s wife Turai was at his side when he died. Adeniyi did not give a cause of death. Yar’Adua, a Muslim, will be buried Thursday, Adeniyi said.

Yar’Adua went to a Saudi Arabian hospital on Nov. 24 to receive treatment for what officials described as a severe case of pericarditis, an inflammation of the sac surrounding the heart that can cause a fatal complication. He failed to formally transfer his powers to Vice President Goodluck Jonathan, sparking a constitutional crisis in Nigeria, Africa’s most populous nation with 150 million people.

Jonathan assumed the presidency Feb. 9 after a vote by the National Assembly while Yar’Adua was still in Saudi Arabia. Lawmakers left open the possibility for Yar’Adua to regain power if he returned to the country in good health. He returned on Feb. 24 but never appeared in public and did not assume power again.

Yar’Adua took office in 2007 in a country notorious for corruption and gained the accolades of many for being the first leader to publicly declare his personal assets when taking office — setting up a benchmark for comparison later to see if he misappropriated funds. But enthusiasm for his presidency waned as time past and little changed in a country burdened by years of entrenched corruption.

The Management and Staff of Joblist Nigeria pray God to give his family the strength to bear the loss

May his soul rest in perfect peace

News Sources:

Newstime Africa

BBC News