President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua passed away on May 5, 2010, after a long battle with illness. His death followed months of political uncertainty during which he was out of the country for medical treatment without formally handing over power.
The crisis was resolved when the National Assembly invoked the “Doctrine of Necessity” to appoint Vice President Goodluck Jonathan as Acting President. Following Yar’Adua’s death, Jonathan was sworn in as the substantive President.
Yar’Adua’s presidency, though short, was notable for his commitment to the rule of law and his successful initiation of the Amnesty Program for militants in the Niger Delta, which brought a significant measure of peace to the oil-rich region.