Former President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan has paid tribute to his predecessor, the late President Umar Musa Yar’Adua on his 12th-year remembrance.
Yar’Adua died led Nigeria from 2007 to 2010 after he was declared the winner of the Nigerian presidential election held on 21 April 2007.
He passed away on May 5, 2010, about four months before his 59th birthday after a brief illness.
Jonathan who was his vice was sworn in as president and went on to rule Nigeria until 2015.
However, in a remembrance post on Thursday, Jonathan described his former boss as a soldier of trust and justice.
He argued that a leader of Yar’Adua’s calibre is hard to come by, noting that Nigerians will continue to remember his good works.
“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.
“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”.
