Umaru Musa Yar'Adua

Umaru Musa Yar'Adua was a Nigerian politician who served as the president of Nigeria from 2007 to 2010. He was declared the winner of the Nigerian presidential election held on 21 April 2007, and was sworn in on 29 May 2007. He previously served as the governor of Katsina State from 1999 to 2007; and was a member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). In 2009, Yar'Adua left for Saudi Arabia to receive treatment for pericarditis. He returned to Nigeria on 24 February 2010, but died on 5 May. Yar'Adua was born to an elite Fulani family, and his birthplace was an important centre of Islamic learning. His family was prominent in both traditional and modern politics; his father served as a federal minister during the First Republic (1960–66), and his late elder brother, Shehu Musa Yar'Adua, served in the military government of 1976–79. Yar'Adua received a university education at Ahmadu Bello University in Zaria. From 1975 to 1983 he taught in various colleges and a polytechnic school before becoming a businessman, serving in management and as a director of many companies. Yar'Adua first entered party politics as a mobilizer for the (now defunct) People’s Redemption Party. During the long transition program (1989–93) to restore the Nigerian government to civilian rule, he became a founding member of the Peoples’ Front, a political association led by his elder brother, which eventually became the core of the (now defunct) Social Democratic Party. Yar'Adua began concentrating on state politics in 1991, when he stood as a candidate in the Katsina state gubernatorial election, which he lost. Seven years later Yar'Adua participated in the founding of the K34 political association, which later merged with the People’s Democratic Party (PDP). He again ran for governor, winning election in 1999 and reelection in 2003. As state governor, he focused on the socioeconomic development of his state, with particular attention to the educational and health sectors, and was known for being financially prudent: not only did he pay down the huge state debt that he had inherited, but he also accumulated a $50 million surplus in the treasury. As president, he initiated a seven-point agenda that aimed to address the major challenges facing Nigeria, such as power supply, security, education, health, and corruption. He also granted amnesty to the militants in the Niger Delta who had been fighting against the oil companies and the government for years, leading to a reduction in violence and oil sabotage in the region. However, his presidency was marred by ill health, political infighting, and allegations of electoral fraud. He faced criticism for his frequent travels abroad for medical treatment and his failure to appoint a vice president or delegate power during his absence. His death in 2010 triggered a constitutional crisis, as the National Assembly had to invoke the doctrine of necessity to allow the then vice president, Goodluck Jonathan, to assume the office of acting president. Yar'Adua was widely regarded as a humble and honest leader who tried to improve the lives of Nigerians. He was the first civilian president to hand over power to another in a democratic transition. He was also the first Nigerian president to declare his assets publicly, setting an example for transparency and accountability in governance.