The first

inauguration In government and politics, inauguration is the process of swearing a person into office and thus making that person the incumbent. Such an inauguration commonly occurs through a formal ceremony or special event, which may also include an inau ...

Goodluck Jonathan Goodluck Ebele Azikiwe Jonathan (born 20 November 1957) is a Nigerian politician who served as the president of Nigeria from 2010 to 2015. He lost the 2015 presidential election to former military head of state General Muhammadu Buhari and ...

as the 14th

president of Nigeria The president of Nigeria, officially the president of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is the head of state and head of government of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. The president directs the executive branch of the Federal Government an ...

, and 3rd in the fourth republic was held on Thursday, 6 May 2010 in the Aso Rock Presidential Villa in

Abuja Abuja (; , ) is the capital city of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, strategically situated at the geographic midpoint of the country within the Federal Capital Territory (Nigeria), Federal Capital Territory (FCT). As the seat of the Federal G ...

, following the

death Death is the end of life; the irreversible cessation of all biological functions that sustain a living organism. Death eventually and inevitably occurs in all organisms. The remains of a former organism normally begin to decompose sh ...

of President

Umaru Musa Yar'Adua Umaru Musa Yar'Adua (; 16 August 19515 May 2010) was a Nigerian politician who served as the president of Nigeria from 2007 until his death in May 2010. He won the Nigerian presidential election held on 21 April 2007, and was sworn in on 29 M ...

the night before. Jonathan had been acting as president since 9 February 2010, before the inauguration. The inauguration – the first non-scheduled, extraordinary inauguration to ever take place – marked the commencement of the first term (a partial term of ) of Goodluck Jonathan as president. Chief Justice Aloysius Iyorgyer Katsina-Alu administered the oath of office. Jonathan was the first vice president to succeed to the presidency intra-term, and he remains the only one to do so, as of 2024.

Illness and death of Yar'Adua

Yar'Adua left Nigeria on 23 November 2009, and was reported to be receiving treatment for

pericarditis Pericarditis () is inflammation of the pericardium, the fibrous sac surrounding the heart. Symptoms typically include sudden onset of sharp chest pain, which may also be felt in the shoulders, neck, or back. The pain is typically less severe whe ...

at a clinic in

Saudi Arabia Saudi Arabia, officially the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA), is a country in West Asia. Located in the centre of the Middle East, it covers the bulk of the Arabian Peninsula and has a land area of about , making it the List of Asian countries ...

. He was not seen in public again, and his absence created a

power vacuum In political science and political history, the term power vacuum, also known as a power void, is an analogy between a physical vacuum to the political condition "when someone in a place of power, has lost control of something and no one has replac ...

which was usurped by a cabal. On 22 January 2010, the

Supreme Court of Nigeria The Supreme Court of Nigeria (SCN) is the highest court in Nigeria, and is located in the Central District, Abuja, in what is known as the Three Arms Zone, so called due to the proximity of the offices of the Presidential Complex, the National Ass ...

ruled that the Federal Executive Council (FEC) had fourteen days to decide a resolution on whether Yar'Adua was "incapable of discharging the functions of his office". The ruling also stated that the Federal Executive Council should hear testimony of five doctors, one of whom should be Yar'Adua's personal physician. On 9 February 2010, the Senate controversially used the "

doctrine of necessity The doctrine of necessity is the basis on which extraordinary actions by administrative authority, which are designed to restore order or uphold fundamental constitutional principles, are considered to be lawful even if such an action contravenes ...

" to transfer Presidential Powers to Vice President

, and declared him Acting President, with all the accompanying powers, until Yar'Adua returned to full health. The power transfer, considered illegal by some, was described as a "coup without the word" by opposition lawyers and lawmakers. However, there were others who felt the power vacuum would lead to instability and a possible military takeover. On 24 February 2010, Yar'Adua returned to

under the cover of darkness. His state of health was unclear, but there was speculation that he was still on a life support machine. Various political and religious figures in

Nigeria Nigeria, officially the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is a country in West Africa. It is situated between the Sahel to the north and the Gulf of Guinea in the Atlantic Ocean to the south. It covers an area of . With Demographics of Nigeria, ...

had visited him during his illness saying he would make a recovery. Yar'Adua died on 5 May at the Aso Rock Presidential Villa. Jonathan said "Nigeria has lost the jewel on its crown and even the heavens mourn with our nation tonight. As individuals and as a nation we prayed for the recovery of Mr President. But we take solace in the fact that the Almighty is the giver and taker of all life."

Swearing-in

Jonathan's swearing-in took place in the

Aso Villa The Aso Rock Villa (officially Aso Rock Presidential Villa) is the workplace and official residence of the President of Nigeria since 1991, when Nigeria moved its capital from Lagos to Abuja. It is located at Yakubu Gowon Crescent, Asokoro, Asokor ...

about 12 hours after the death of President Yar'Adua. Chief Justice Aloysius Iyorgyer Katsina-Alu administered the oath of office.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Jonathan, Goodluck

Politics of Nigeria Goodluck Jonathan

Illness and death of Yar'Adua

Swearing-in

See also

References