Profiling Nigerians: Goodluck Ebele Jonathan

Goodluck Jonathan was born November 20, 1957 in Bayelsa, Delta State. He is a Christian. He graduated with BSc zoology at university of Port Harcourt. He worked as an education inspector in the Ministry of Education and earned a well-deserved Master of Science (M.Sc.) Degree in Hydro-Biology and Fisheries Biology and Doctor of Philosophy in Zoology in 1985 and 1995 respectively.

He was hand picked as the running mate to the Party’s flag bearer Chief D.S.P. Alamieyeseigha. The duo emerged victorious at the polls in the 1999 gubernatorial election, and so, Dr. Goodluck E. Jonathan became the first Deputy Governor of Bayelsa State.The duo repeated the features and won the gubernatorial elections again, in 2003. Goodluck was promoted when the governor was impeached on corruption charges in 2005.

Two years later, he was hand-picked to be Mr Yar'Adua's running mate in the 2007 election, which the ticket won amid allegations of widespread vote-rigging. He inherited the presidency in May 2010 on the death of his Yar' Adua, and went on to win the presidential elections in April 2011.

However, the announcement of the results was followed by violence in the northern stronghold of his main opponent, General Muhammadu Buhari.

The increasing militancy of the northern-based radical Islamist group Boko Haram has also proved to be a major headache for the president. The group stepped up its terror campaign in 2010-11, and  has since been terrorizing the Nigeria.

Dr. Goodluck Jonathan is happily married to Mrs. Patience Diame Jonathan. They are blessed with two children.