It is 10 years since President Umaru Musa Yar’ Adua died while in power. Despite spending just about three years in office, his government pursued ambitious projects and programmes, many of which have been completed. Below are 10 things the late president will be remembered for:

1. Return of Lagos local government funds

The late President Yar’adua will always be remembered for releasing the local government statutory allocations of Lagos State seized by the administration of former President Olusegun Obasanjo, which opposed the creation of additional Local Council Development Authority (LCDA). The government of Obasanjo had refused to release the funds despite court judgement in favour of Lagos State.

2. Creation of Amnesty and Rehabilitation Programme

Yar’adua stabilised the nation and ensured the return of peace in the Niger Delta by granting pardon to former agitators through the establishment of Amnesty and Rehabilitation Programme. The militants used the window of peace created by Yar’adua to surrender their arms. This single action saw an unprecedented improvement in the performance of Nigeria’s oil and gas industry. The history of the creation of the Ministry of Niger Delta will not be complete without mentioning the name of the late Yar’adua whose administration made the feat possible.

3. Declaration of Asset

On 28 June 2007, Yar’Adua publicly revealed his declaration of assets from May (becoming the first Nigerian president to do so), according to which he had ₦856,452,892 (US$5.8 million) in assets, ₦19 million ($0.1 million) of which belonged to his wife. 10 years after: Jonathan mourns ‘selfless, modest’ Yar’Adua He also had ₦88,793,269.77 ($0.5 million) in liabilities. This disclosure, which fulfilled a pre-election promise he made, was intended to set an example for other Nigerian politicians and discourage corruption

4. The triumph of Rule of Law

The late Yar’adua was nicknamed Mr Rule of Law because of his favourable disposition to the judiciary. Under his administration, the ruling People’s Democratic Party (PDP) lost states like Edo, Ondo, and Osun in court.

5. Smooth Executive-Legislative relationship

The late Yar’adua will also be remembered as an advocate and proponent of the separation of power. This was the reason why former Vice President Atiku Abubakar once described late President Yar’adua as a decent politician whose administration did not suffer from executive-legislative tension in the Fourth Republic.

6. Justice Mohammed Lawal Uwais Electoral Reforms Committee

His administration will also be remembered for constituting the Justice Mohammed Lawal Uwais-led Electoral Reforms Committee which made far-reaching recommendations that will aid the country’s electoral process if implemented.

7. Seven-Point-Agenda

On August 1, 2007, the Yar’adua regime announced a “Seven Point Agenda”, which includes power and energy; food security; wealth creation; transport sector; land reforms; security; and education.

8. Amend PDP constitution to take monopoly of Board of Trustees (BoT) chairmanship from former Presidents.

He championed the amendment of the PDP constitution which stripped former President Obasanjo of sole chairmanship of the party’s BoT.

9. Expansion of Kubwa and Airport Expressways

The administration of the late former Governor of Katsina State mobilised funds for the expansion of Kubwa and Airport Expressways, a project which was completed under the administration of former President Good luck Jonathan. The airport road was named Umaru Musa Yar’adua Expressway after its completion.

10. Dredging of River Niger

The ambitious project to dredge River Niger was pursued by the late Yar’adua but abandoned after his death. River Niger is important in terms of economic activities in the North as it is the major river that links the North to the South.

Source: https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/10-things-yaradua-will-be-remembered-for.html

Hats off for a legend
A moment of silence in honour for a leader we once had, but may never 'see' again in another.

4. The triumph of Rule of Law
The late Yar’adua was nicknamed Mr Rule of Law because of his favourable disposition to the judiciary. Under his administration, the ruling People’s Democratic Party (PDP) lost states like Edo, Ondo, and Osun in court.

One would not have to look far to see that this enviable quality (respect for the law, peace & order as well as due process) truly rubbed off on Ex-Presido Goodluck Jonathan in his meek disposition in conceding defeat to Baba. In Nigeria where the President is usually the de-facto Chairman of INEC, a sitting president only seem to "retire" not "lose election".

Save YarAdua, May The Almighty bless the dead.

We have had many good leaders in Nigeria, Ahmadu Bello, Nnamdi Azikwe, Tafawa Balewa.


As for me my best president was "that guy drawn on twenty naira".


Ramadan Kareem.

Ok

Yar'Adua, the best president we ever had


If your life span had been increased to 8 more years, you would have saved us this tragedy called Buhari

that man is Katsina's finest in terms of leadership, if not for his death Obasanjo's policy would had flourished properly, Jonathan came and turned everything upside down, changed government 7 point agenda to his own transformation agenda, Buhari also came in with another set of new direction and policy summersault

one lesson I learnt about Governance from the Democracy we run is continuity on the right part brings prosperity , Lagos Governors after Tinubu had used the blueprint engineered by Tinubu's cabinet and Lagos is the lowest in terms of unemployment and poverty even with its stagerring population it boast of some of the best infrastructures

If only Yaradua never died and he fully delivered on Obasanjo's blueprint, Nigeria would had being better off


.

I remember he was derisively called Baba Go Slow by civil servants in Abuja and Nigerians in general.

I remember he was more Democratic and civil than any president we have had since 1999 till date.

I remember he returned the local government funds of Lagos state that was seized by OBJ. Many would not remember that even Yar'Adau as Katsina state Governor, was one of a handful of governors who created new Local Development Areas like Tinubu of Lagos, as a prelude to constitutional recognition and approval as new LGAs, but all the other Governors had to back track when OBJ threatened them, except Tinubu who refused to surrender.

I remember vividly how Patience Jonathan complained that Turai Yar'Adua has directed her husband Goodluck to be reading newspapers because he wasn't mentally bright enough and could not play any useful role in the government he was Vice President.

I remember that Yar'Adua was also insular and only trusting of fellow Northern Muslims. In fact, Northern politicians complained bitterly that Yar'Adua's government was only for Katsina, Kano and Kaduna. That's because most government agencies, departments and paramilitary corps were mostly headed by those from the 3K states.

In fact, Yar'Adua regime introduced the Northern cabal vocabulary into our current 4th republic.

I remember that Yar'Adua abandoned the plan by Charles Soludo to eliminate inflationary zeros from the Naira, like Ghana had done by eliminating 1000th number places from their currency. With the 100th zero elimination planned by Soludo, N500 was to become N5, and N1000 was to become N10.

I remember Yar'Adua provided a safe haven for the corrupt and wanted James Ibori.

However, I remember Yar'Adua forced his Vice, Jonathan to also publicly declare his assets like he had done.

Yar'Adua also forced Jonathan to enter the creeks and negotiate a government proposed amnesty with the militants. Only MEND rebuffed Jonathan's entreaties, and when Jonathan became President, he remembered to pay the Okah brothers of MEND in kind with the aftermath of the October 1st bombing.

I also remember that Yar'Adua brought down the price of Petrol after OBJ had increased it some days before his own departure from government. It could have been a gimmick by the PDP regime of OBJ to make Nigerians fall in love with the Yar'Adua regime.

Turai Yar'Adua also ensured she pimped her daughters to the highest bidder, by marrying them off as 3rd wife to prominent Northern Governors and politician.

Yaragbadura

The man who remembered south south people , The man who gave amnesty and choppings to the south south boz, The man who died for the south south minority tribe man to become president stress freely and many more.......may Allah forgive all his short comes and continue to grand him eternal rest

RIP Yar'adua!

Though I was very young, when he died, People around me had only good things to say about the man. I only wonder what people will say about the current one, ten years from now.


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He was a good man

Beautiful girls are naturally rude in a relationship, but you see those ones looking like oshiomole, they will kill you with love!

Same thing applies to Nigeria!!

Good president no dey last for 9ja, but you see this bad Leaders like MUMUhamad Buhari, they won't want to die even at 150 years

Damnnnnn niggarrr
Isoright
Memories
How will i overcome this accute nostagia
Yaradua will forever remain a real niggarrr

I can't forget "one man one vote mantra" in Edo state

Submerged in miasma of melancholy right now

What will each and everyone of us be remembered for one day?

One of the best nigeria ever had

There was a President!

Lets be factual here. Where did he see 800m from. Typical of Nigerians they will paint him a saint. https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.vanguardngr.com/2015/07/how-yaradua-was-pressurised-to-revert-refineries-sold-to-dangote-obasanjo/amp/ he also refused to resign to take care of his health. Says alot

Umaru Musa Yar'adua GCFR ICCON rest on.

The only Nigerian president that deserves paradise ....

The only Nigeria President in history that reduced the price of petrol.


May his soul continue to rest in perfect peace ...Aamiin.

Like for Yar'adua, share for Buhari

Nice one.

JayPeeOham:
There was a President!

yup there was

very good man

h

The discussions in the Nairaland politics section at the time of his rule will prove otherwise.

Good

He will be remembered for having Nigeria at heart. He was a good and had good intentions for d progress of Nigeria. Rip strongman.