A leader like Yar’Adua hard to find, Jonathan remembers late president 12 years after

Former President Goodluck Jonathan has described his predecessor, late Umaru Musa Yar’Adua, as a selfless leader and a peacemaker.

Jonathan said this in a tribute shared on his social media accounts on Thursday, titled, ‘President Yar’adua: 12 years after’.

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Yar’Adua was the President of Nigeria from 2007 to 2010. He died of an illness on May 5, 2010.

The late Yar’Adua was elected President after President Olusegun Obasanjo of South completed his two tenures of four years each.

After Yar’Adua’s death, his deputy, Goodluck Jonathan, mounted the saddle to complete his four years after which he did another one term for the South South zone.

Although Jonathan ran for a second term, he lost to incumbent President Muhammadu Buhari.

Jonathan in the tribute said the late former President was a “servant leader and a good man”, who is hard to find.

His words: “Twelve years ago, our nation lost a patriot, a selfless leader and a peacemaker who governed with sincerity and passion for the people. President Umaru Musa Yar’ Adua is no longer with us today, but his strides in public life continue to testify for him and keep his memory alive.

“Like a good athlete, he ran with passion, kept the faith and finished the race. Today we can look back and say, as President he won laurels for us in terms of peace and other worthy causes he successfully pursued.

“He was a soldier of truth, committed to justice, equity and other democratic virtues. He was a servant leader and a good man; the type that is hard to find. He was my boss.

“President Yar’Adua, we remember you today and will continue to remember the good works that you did in our nation. Yours is a story of patriotism, a life well-lived in service to the people and humanity.”