Jonathan Marks 5 Years As Substantive President

Forum 8 years ago

Jonathan Marks 5 Years As Substantive President

President Goodluck Jonathan yesterday marked five years since he took over as Nigeria’s substantive president.


The president was sworn in on May 6, 2010, by the Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Aloysius Katsina-Alu, after the death of the late President Umaru Yar’Adua.


Jonathan took his cabinet members by surprise when he arrived at the council chambers, venue of the weekly Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting, and announced that yesterday was his fifth anniversary in office.


After the national anthem and national pledge were recited, the president joked at FEC members that one of them was marking his birthday.

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Setting the pace for the event, he told them that the usual national prayer before the commencement of FEC will give way for two members of council, each from Christian and Muslim extractions, to offer prayers before the meeting.


Apparently in search of their said colleague and would-be celebrant for the birthday, the cabinet members craned their eyes in all direction in a bid to identify the person.


Satisfied that they were unable to mention the celebrant, President Jonathan opened up, reminding them that yesterday, May 6, 2015 marked his fifth year as substantive president of Nigeria.



He said: “Today, we will not say the national prayer. Somebody is celebrating birthday so we will offer special prayers for him. Two very godly people will pray, Nebo and Yuguda. Do you know the person?”


When they could not answer, he said, “On May 6, exactly five years today, I was sworn in as substantive president”.


All FEC members burst out in rapturous applause.