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Goodluck Ebele Jonathan

Dr. Goodluck Ebele Jonathan is worthy of his name "goodluck." Vice-President Goodluck Jonathan was widely believed to be too incompetent to be an effective president. Grand Commander of the Order of the Niger, GCON, and President, Commander-in-Chief of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Goodluck Jonathan assumed office as Nigeria’s Acting President on February 9, 2010 by virtue of a National Assembly resolution empowering him as Acting President, following President Yar’Adua’s long absence for medical attention in Saudi Arabia. Dr. Goodluck Ebele Jonathan was sworn-in on May, 6, 2010 as President, Commander-in-chief of the Federal Republic of Nigeria following the passing away of President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua on May 5, 2010. On May 29, 2011, Dr Goodluck Ebele Jonathan took oath as President and Commander in Chief, after his victory in the 2011 Presidential election.

Jonathan is married to Patience Faka Jonathan, said to have a more forceful personality than her husband. One source in Bayelsa said Mrs. Jonathan "runs her own show and the husband has little or no control over her." She is said to have tremendous influence over Jonathan and his administration. In September 2006, the Economic and Financial Crimes commission (EFCC) seized US$13.5 million from Mrs. Jonathan at an airport. Reports indicated the money was laundered through an associate; Jonathan managed to distance himself from the deal. The anti-graft commission investigating the source of the money reported no findings. Although Jonathan's name was on the 2006 list of governors accused of corruption, he has not been publicly charged.

A native of Otuoke in Ogbia Local Government area of Bayelsa State, Goodluck Jonathan comes from a humble social background. Jonathan was born to a humble Niger Delta family of canoe makers. He was born November 20, 1957 to the family of Mr. and Mrs. Ebele Jonathan. Family sources disclosed Jonathan displayed maturity and responsibility in his conduct as a child. These attributes earned him the nickname "Azikiwe" by his paternal grandmother who saw in him leadership qualities similar to late southeast statesman Nnamdi Azikiwe who championed the cause of Nigeria's independence.

In spite of the enchanting beauty of the Niger Delta and the pristine innocence of those times, rather than take after the family trade the young Jonathan chose to go to school. He attended St. Stephens and St. Michaels Primary Schools, Oloibiri,, Bayelsa State, finishing in 1969. He proceeded to Mater Dei High School, Imiringi, where he passed his West African School Certificate with flying colors in 1975.

On completion of his secondary education, he worked as a Preventive Officer with the Nigerian Customs Service for two years before proceeding to the University of Port Harcourt as one of the pioneer students of the new university nestling on the shores of the Choba River. As a child he had been fascinated with nature, and growing up by the shores of the intertwining rivers and waterways of the Niger Delta, aquatic life was second nature. He obtained a Bachelor of Science Degree in Zoology with Second Class Upper honours from the University of Port Harcourt in Rivers State in 1981.

In 1982 he was appointed as Science Inspector of Education, Rivers State Ministry of Education, while studying in between for his post-graduate and graduate degrees. He was awarded a Masters of Science degree in Hydrobiology/Fisheries in 1985, and a Doctorate in Zoology in 1995, from the University of Port Harcourt, Rivers State. But this was not until he had completed his mandatory one year of National Youth Service in Iresi, old Oyo State, now Osun State of Nigeria.

Jonathan worked as a Science Inspector of Education in the former Rivers State Civil Service Commission and as an academic in the Biology Department at the College of Education for ten years. Between 1983 and 1993 he took up employment as a lecturer in the Department of Biological Science, Rivers State College of Education.

He voluntarily resigned his appointment with the college in 1993 to become Assistant Director of Ecology in the defunct Oil Minerals Producing Areas Development Commission (OMPADEC) in charge of Environmental Protection. Jonathan's first political experience came when he was nominated to be Chief D.S.P. Alamieyeseigha's running mate under the People's Democratic Party in the 1999 gubernatorial race. They won the elections, and he served as a Deputy Governor from 1999 to 11 December 2005.

Jonathan, Deputy Governor of Bayelsa State under Governor Alamieyeseigha and acting Governor since Alamieyeseigha's impeachment, was sworn in as Bayelsa State Governor on 12 December 2005. Jonathan would complete the remaining fifteen months of the current term. The new Governor praised the Assembly and Federal Government for maintaining security without declaring a state of emergency, a reference to the deployment of troops as tensions heightened immediately following Alamieyeseigha's return. Jonathan also described the saga of Alamieyeseigha's arrest, flight from the UK, and impeachment as a test of the integrity of the people of Bayelsa State and the entire Ijaw nation.

During the nearly three months of the Alamieyeseigha saga, Jonathan walked a tightrope. He could not boldly seek to replace the former governor, for risk of being attacked by Alamieyeseigha's supporters. However, he also had to appear responsive when the federal government pushed for Alamieyeseigha's quick ouster lest Jonathan incur Abuja's ire. There were some moments when Jonathan appeared to be confused, between and betwixt.

As Governor, Jonathan had a strong development program, the Bayelsa Partnership Initiative (BPI), which focused on community-driven development. The BPI empowered communities by giving them five to six percent of Bayelsa's 13 percent derivation to spend as the community deemed necessary. While Jonathan's development efforts in Baylesa have been appreciated by some communities, they have not been able to quell the militant activities in the state. Jonathan served as Governor of Bayelsa State for 18 months.

It wasn’t long befor fate once again beckoned. Jonathan was busy preparing for re election to his first full term as substantive governor, when the PDP, which is the largest political party in Africa, nominated him as running mate to the Presidential candidate, Alhaji Umaru Musa Yar’adua. One reason Governor Jonathan was given the vice presidential appointment was because he is supported by Ijaw leaders like Chief Edwin Clark and Ijaw communities throughout the south-south. Bayelsa State is over 95 percent Ijaw, and there are significant Ijaw population in neighboring south-south states. Ijaws are believed to be Nigeria's fourth largest ethnic group. It was felt that Ijaw militants in the Delta would give a new administration some breathing room if one of their kith and kin became the country's second citizen. Others claimed that while Jonathan enjoyed the support of the "Ijaw leaders," the "restive youth" had little respect for the "so-called leaders."

The 17 December 2006 announcement of the landslide victory of Obasanjo's pick as presidential candidate, Umaru Yar'Adua, in the PDP convention seemed inevitable; however, Yar'Adua's announcement on December 18 of Bayelsa Governor Goodluck Jonathan, who has never declared aspirations to the villa, as his running mate was generally unexpected. Jonathan brought his own difficulties to the table. While he had some respect among some Ijaws, the support of largely discredited Ijaw elders such as E.K. Clark did not go far in bringing the ongoing youth violence under control or ensuring support of the militant activists either in his own state or throughout the region.

After a keenly contested election, the Yar’adua/Jonathan ticket won, and on May 29, 2007, he was inaugurated as Nigeria’s Vice President. He was handling Niger Delta issues until the Ministry for Niger Delta Affairs was created in September 2008, allowing him to distance himself from being viewed as someone who could only work on that issue. "I was not chosen to be Vice President because I had good political experience," he said. "I did not. There were a lot more qualified people around to be Vice President, but that does not mean I am not my own man."

Jonathan's ascent to the Vice Presidency was a source of pride for many Ijaws and he had the support of prominent (although marginalized) Ijaw elders such as E.K. Clark. However, his appointment as Yar'Adua's running mate earned him political enemies. Attacks on Jonathan's campaign offices, Government House, and family home have not been linked definitively to individuals or groups, they reflect deep fissures in his south-south support base. He is unknown outside of this region, however.

When not campaigning with Yar'Adua, Jonathan spent much of his time in Bayelsa. He and Yar'Adua were not known to consult with one another on a regular basis. Jonathan's advisors feared Yar'Adua, who reportedly had not had a close relationship with his Deputy Governors, will treat Jonathan similarly. As a result, they believed that Yar'Adua would have to involve himself personally in resolution of the Niger Delta crisis. Others, however, suggested their academic backgrounds will make it easy for the two to work together. Jonathan did not have extensive ties to the military establishment, but was close to the Chief of Army Staff, General Andrew Azazi, a fellow Ijaw Christian.

Jonathan worked closely with Secretary to the Bayelsa State Government Dr. Godknows Igali, tagged to be his Special Presidential Advisor on the Niger Delta, during hostage crises. During the 2007 elections, an interlocutor suggested Jonathan was trying to manipulate militants into abstaining from electoral violence through a "divide and conquer" strategy. That strategy may have backfired; one source suggested the 20 April 2007 attack on Government House was masterminded by senior militants upset the government was trying to win the support of their subordinates. However, another interlocutor reports this attack may have been instigated by Delta Governor James Ibori, jealous that Jonathan received the PDP's nomination for Vice President. Militants have said that they attacked the residence because rigging was taking place there.

President Yar'Adua, elected in 2007 and eligible to run for a second term in 2011, departed from Nigeria on 23 November 2009 to undergo medical treatment in Saudi Arabia. Vice President Goodluck Jonathan cautiously assumed some presidential duties in the meantime, avoiding the appearance of seeking the presidency prematurely. Divisions between Northern and Southern politicians and competition among potential successors for the Vice Presidency complicated decision-making. Political pressure from multiple quarters, including parts of the ruling party, built on the Yar'Adua loyalists in the government to transfer formal presidential powers to the Vice President. The ruling People's Democratic Party (PDP) picked Jonathan as Yar'Adua's running mate in 2007 because he represented the Niger Delta. Thus the Northern politicians would always be uncomfortable with him as president.

On 09 February 2010, the Senate and the House of Representatives approved resolutions designating Vice President Jonathan as Acting President and Commander-in-Chief. According to the resolutions, Jonathan would retain this position until ailing President Yar'Adua, whose absence reached 78 days on that date, returned to Nigeria and communicated in writing that he was capable of resuming presidential powers. Senate President David Mark told the media that legislators took the action under the "doctrine of necessity" to respond to a situation "not contemplated" by the Constitution. Some Senators argued that the President had communicated his "vacation" and incapacity via his alleged BBC radio interview in which he indicated that he remained in Saudi Arabia undergoing medical treatment. While at least one Senator objected that such verbal remarks did not satisfy the Constitutional requirement for a signed "written communication," others insisted that a printed online transcript of his alleged remarks sufficed.

The Governors' Forum endorsed the National Assembly's action, noting that they had obtained the go-ahead of the leaders of national assemblies in all 36 states for such action. The Federal Executive Council (FEC) accepted the National Assembly's action during a February 10 meeting. At the start of the meeting, Jonathan sat in the elevated President's chair, instead of his Vice Presidential chair, for the first time.

At that time, there was some expectation that a Northerner, possibly the person designated as the new Vice President, would run for President in 2011 and govern for the next four years to maintain the "zonal rotation" between Northern and Southern politicians serving eight years each as President. Yar’Adua was former governor from the country’s Muslim north, while Jonathan was a southerner, as was Obasanjo, who had served two terms prior to the election of Yar’Adua. The unofficial rotation had served the country well in maintaining peace and stability.

But in April 2011 President Goodluck Jonathan of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), who had assumed the presidency in May 2010 following his predecessor’s death, won election to a four-year term, along with Vice President Mohammed Namadi Sambo, also of the PDP. International and domestic election observers considered the April 2011 presidential, gubernatorial, and legislative elections to be generally credible, orderly, and a substantial improvement over the flawed 2007 elections. However, there were reports of fraud and irregularities, including vote rigging and buying, underage voting, ballot stuffing, and political violence.

Immediately following the 2011 presidential election, supporters of the opposition Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) candidate, Muhammadu Buhari, a northern Muslim, challenged the outcome of the election. Post-election violence in protest of Jonathan’s victory erupted in the North and in the Middle Belt states, directed towards local grievances and political targets, resulting in loss of lives, property damage, and restrictions on movement. The April 2011 legislative elections produced major changes in the National Assembly, as only an estimated one-third of the incumbents in both houses were reelected, and opposition parties gained many seats. The Supreme Court ultimately upheld the results of the presidential election, while the Court of Appeals upheld the results of most other contests in which challenges occurred. While security forces generally reported to civilian authorities, elements of the security forces periodically acted independently of civilian control.

Jonathan's belated elevation to Acting President defused but did not resolve the crisis over Yar'Adua's absence. Jonathan had a short window during to demonstrate leadership and competence to build up his credibility, his position within his own party, and his prospects for 2011 should he, as many expected, decide to contest for a new term. Jonathan had the advantage of starting off with low expectations and a broad national appreciation for his role in moving the country forward.

The government held presidential, gubernatorial, and legislative elections in April 2011. President Jonathan captured 59% of the national vote, beating his main rival, Muhammadu Buhari of the Congress for Progressive Change, who won 32%. While imperfect, the elections were considered Nigeria’s most successful since its return to multiparty democracy in 1999, and reversed a downward trajectory of successively flawed election processes. President Jonathan was sworn in on May 29, 2011.

Jonathan's inner circle was primarily composed of Bayelsa State indigenes, some with prior government experience, others active in civil society. Jonathan's demeanor is reserved. In a recent meeting he listened to others and spoke only when he drew the meeting to a close with his own comments. He does not veer far from the party line. Jonathan's defining characteristic is loyalty. When his former boss was arrested in London, Jonathan was reluctant to take over as governor or to appear too eager to fill his superior's shoes. He waited until he was compelled by the presidency to claim the governorship. Jonathan still supports the Alamieyesiegha family. It is his loyalty that likely compelled President Obasanjo to select him as Yar'Adua's running mate, perhaps to forestall the type of conflict Obasanjo perceived himself to have experienced with Atiku.

Often referred to as a humble politician, Jonathan reportedly listened to his advisors, many of whom were friendly towards the United States. As governor, Jonathan had engaged US diplomats and the international community on numerous occasions, including during hostage crises and to ask for advice or assistance on economic development issues. Jonathan's advisors have visited the consulate's Foreign Commercial Service office to seek out US sources of training and materials. Jonathan attended a short seminar on Public Policy and Governance at Harvard's JFK School of Government in late April 2007. It is not clear how Jonathan viewed Nigeria's role as an international or regional power.

Jonathan’s Peoples Democratic Party had won every election since the country’s returned to democracy in 1999. Despite vigorous campaigning, in 2015 Jonathan was unable to overcome concerns about corruption, a faltering economy and the Boko Haram insurgency in the north. Buhari and his All Progressives Congress rode that voter dissatisfaction to victory, adopting a broom—to symbolize a clean sweep— to send a message of change.