RIP: PRESIDENT UMARU MUSA YAR'DUA

Umaru Yar'Adua, the long-ailing president, died about 9 pm in the presidential villa. Some security aides notified Aliyu Gusau, the National Security Adviser, who immediately called Goodluck Jonathan. The two men then went over together to the Villa to see Turai Yar'Adua, to pray for the soul of the departed.

Mr. Jonathan automatically becomes the substantive president and, according to the constitution.
The acting president Goodluck Jonathan will be sworn in as President at 8A.M on Thursday, May 6. His first function will be to see off the body of the late President when it is flown to Katsina at 10A.M. The late President will be buried in Katsina at about 2PM



Mr. Jonathan, who was hosting the president of Niger, has cancelled all appointments, including a planned trip to Port Harcourt Thursday morning.


Mr. Jonathan will now need to have a vice president, all of which scrambles an already unsettled political atmosphere. One of the key contenders was the man who informed him of Mr. Yar'Adua's passing, Mr. Gusau, the retired General.