Jonathan Receives Certificate Of Return …Suspends Interior Minister

President-elect, President Goodluck Jonathan (left), receive his Certificate of Return from Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) Chairman, Prof. Attahiru Jega in Abuja, yesterday.

President-elect, Dr Goodluck Jonathan of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) was, in Abuja yesterday issued with a certificate of return by Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) Chairman, Attahiru Jega.

The Vice President-elect, Namadi Sambo, received his certificate of return later at the same ceremony attended by most members of the Federal Executive Council and top political party officials.

In his brief remarks, Jonathan said that he sincerely thanked God for the ceremony, adding that it was God that made it possible.

“Let us use this opportunity to once again appreciate Nigerians for turning out massively to vote for us,’’ he added.

Jonathan emerged winner of the 2011 presidential election, polling 22,495,187, the highest number of votes,  and scoring at least 25 per cent of the ballot in 31 states of the federation, more than the two-thirds required by law.

Retired Maj.-Gen. Muhammadu Buhari of Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) recorded 12,214,853 votes and got at least 25 per cent of the votes in 16 states, to place second.

In the third position is Malam Nuhu Ribadu of Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) who polled 2,790,151 votes.

Declaring Jonathan as winner of the election, Jega, the Chief Returning Officer, said the incumbent had satisfied the requirements of the law and, therefore, returned him as duly elected.

Dr. Goodluck Ebele Jonathan (GCFR), was born to a humble Niger Delta family of canoe makers on Nov. 20, 1957.

Growing up in the warmth of a close knit family, Jonathan had humble yet adventurous beginnings. In spite of the enchanting beauty of the Niger Delta and the pristine innocence of those times, the young Jonathan rather than take after the family trade, chose to go to school.

He attended St. Stephens and St. Michaels Primary Schools, Oloibiri, finishing in 1969. He proceeded to Mater Dei High School, Imiringi, where he passed his West African School Certificate with flying colours 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 situated on the shores of the Choba River.

He chose Zoology. 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 graduated with Second Class Upper honours in 1981. In 1985 and 1995 he studied for his Master’s and Ph.D degrees in Hydrobiology and Fisheries Biology, and Zoology respectively, from the same University. 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.

Returning to the warm embrace of family and friends 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. Between 1983 and 1993 he took up employment as a lecturer in the Department of Biological Science, Rivers State College of Education.

In 1993, he was appointed Assistant Director (Ecology of the defunct Oil Mineral Producing Areas Development Commission (OMPADEC) in charge of Environmental Protection. Working in a developmental environment, his desire to better  the lot of the people motivated him to answer the call to service. He resigned his job in 1998 and went into politics.

His honesty, simplicity, charisma, quiet strength and determination made him an ideal running mate to Chief D.S.P. Alamieyeseigha on the Bayelsa People’s Democratic Party, PDP, gubernatorial ticket. They won the elections, and he served as a Deputy Governor from 1999 to 11 December 2005. On 12 December that year, he became the substantive Governor of Bayelsa State.

He was preparing for re-election to his first full term as substantive governor, when the PDP nominated him as running mate to the Presidential candidate, Alhaji Umaru Musa Yar’adua.

Meanwhile, President Goodluck Jonathan yesterday ordered the immediate suspension of the Interior Minister, Capt. Emmanuel Iheanacho, a statement signed by the Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Mr Ima Niboro said.

Iheanacho’s suspension was as a result of “a number of lapses in the political leadership of the ministry traceable to his personal and official conduct’’.

“For now, his continued manning of the ministry is not in the interest of the nation,’’ the statement read in part.

Iheanacho, according to the statement, has been directed to hand over to the Minister of Labour, Mr. Emeka Wogu who will oversee that ministry in addition to his present portfolio.