Goodluck Ebele Azikiwe Jonathan GCFR, GCON is a Nigerian politician who served as the President of Nigeria from 2010 to 2015.
Early life
Dr Goodluck Jonathan was born on 20 November 1957 in Ogbia to a Christian family of canoe makers Mr Lawrence Jonathan from the Ijaw ethnicity in Bayelsa state. He hails from Otuoke in Bayelsa State and he lost two siblings; Meni Jonathan in November 2012 and a sister Nancy Jonathan-Olei in January 2015.
Full name: Goodluck Ebele Azikiwe Jonathan
Date of birth: 20th November 1957
Place of birth: Otuoke, Bayelsa State
Spouse: Patience Jonathan
Children: Ariwera Jonathan and Aruabi Jonathan
Net worth: In 2007, his assets worth a total of ₦295,304,420
Education
Dr Goodluck Jonathan had his primary and secondary school education in the Bayelsa and later attended the University of Port Harcourt, earning a Bachelor Of science in zoology (1981), a Master Of science in hydrobiology and fisheries biology (1985), and a Ph.D. in zoology (1995).
Work History
While in the University of Port Harcourt, he taught at Rivers State College of Education from 1983 until 1993. He then served as an assistant director at the Oil Mineral Producing Areas Development Commission, from 1993 until 1998.
He married his wife, Dame Patience Jonathan in 1993.
Political Career
Before starting politics in the year 1998, he worked as an education inspector, a lecturer and an environmental-protection officer.
His Political journey started fully in 29th May 1999 where he was sworn in as the Deputy Governor of Bayelsa State, he served alongside Diepreye Alamieyeseigha who was the then governor under the People’s Democratic Party (PDP).
On 9th December 2005, he was then sworn in as the governor of Bayelsa after the impeachment of Diepreye Alamieyeseigha.
Years later in 2007, on the 29th Of May, he became the Vice President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria under the Yar’Adua administration.
On February 9, 2010, he was voted by Nigeria’s National Assembly to serve as acting president while the then President, Yar’Adua was receiving treatment abroad. After Yar’Adua’s death on May 5th 2010, Jonathan was sworn in as president of Nigeria the following day— May 6th 2010 and he started work immediately.
In September 2010, he declared his intention to run for presidency in the 2011 elections which he eventually won and became president of Nigeria for four years, under the People’s Democratic Party(PDP), his Vice was Namadi Sambo.
He also decided to run for presidency in the 2015 general elections, which unfortunately, he lost to President Muhammadu Buhari.
On the 9th of May 2022, a tweet was released by the presidential aide Bashir Ahmad claiming that Dr Goodluck Jonathan has now decamped to APC and joined the race for the 2023 presidential elections after a Fulani group bought the presidential form worth 100 million naira of the All Progressive Congress for Goodluck Jonathan.
Awards and Achievements
After leaving office in 2015, he was appointed as the honorary special advisor to the Bayelsa Education Trust Fund board in 2019.
In June 2019, Goodluck Jonathan was named chairperson of the newly inaugurated International Summit Council for Peace.
In July 2020, Jonathan was appointed special envoy of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) to lead mediation talks during the 2020 Malian protests.
He was awarded in 2015 by the Universal Peace Federation(UPF) as its Peace Loving Global Citizen.
He was honoured as the African Peace and Security Leader of the Year 2020 by UK-based African Leadership magazine.
Social media handles
Twitter: GEJonathan
Website: gej.ng
Instagram: _goodluckjonathan
