Vice President of Nigeria

The Vice President of Nigeria is the second-in-command to the President of Nigeria in the Government of Nigeria. Officially styled Vice President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.The Vice President is elected alongside the President in national elections. The current Vice President is Goodluck Ebele Jonathan.

Eligibility

A person shall be eligible for the office of Vice President if he or she is a citizen of Nigeria by birth, at least 40 years of age, is a member of a political party and is sponsored by that political party.

Until May 29th 1999, the Vice President of the Federal Military Government was alternatively known as The Chief of General Staff and The Chief of Staff, Supreme HQ. The Vice President was also Deputy Chairman of the ruling military council which until May 1999 was the Provisional Ruling Council. The Last soldier (Sailor) to hold the Office was Mike Akhigbe

Oath of office

The Constitution of Nigeria specifies an oath of office for the Vice President of the federation. The oath is administered by the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Nigeria or the person for the time being appointed to exercise the functions of that office. It is the same oath recited by Deputy State Governors, Ministers, Commissioners and Special Advisers to the President:

Duties

While the Vice President is a member of the Federal Executive Council, Council of State, the National Defence Council, the National Security Council and is by virtue of Paragraph 18 of the 3rd Schedule to the Nigerian Constitution 1999, the Chairman of the National Economic Council. From January 1999, the Chief of General Staff and later the Vice President has customarily chaired the National Council on Privatisation at the President's pleasure and the President may assign him other duties and functions at his discretion as provided in the Constitution.

From the 29th of May, 2007 the Vice President will have the use of Akinola Aguda House as his official residence. Goodluck Jonathan was elected Vice President of Nigeria on April 21, 2007 and was alongside with Alhaji Umaru Musa Yar'Adua sworn-in for a four year term at the Abuja Eagle Square on May 29, 2007.

List of Vice Presidents

* Babafemi Ogundipe* (Johnson Aguiyi-Ironsi Military regime)
* Joe R. I. Akahan* (Yakubu Gowon Military regime)
* Iliya D. Bisalla* (Yakubu Gowon Military regime)
* Hassan Usman Katsina* (Yakubu Gowon Military regime)
* David Akpode Ejoor* (Yakubu Gowon Military regime)
* J.E.A. Wey* (Yakubu Gowon Military regime)
* Olusegun Obasanjo* (Murtala Mohammed Military regime)
* Shehu Musa Yar'Adua* (Olusegun Obasanjo Military regime)
* Alex Ifeanyichukwu Ekwueme (Shehu Shagari presidency)
* Tunde Idiagbon* (Muhammadu Buhari Military regime)
* Ebitu Ukiwe* (Ibrahim Babangida Military regime)
* Augustus Aikhomu* (Ibrahim Babangida Military regime)
* Oladipo Diya* (Sani Abacha Military regime)
* Jeremiah Useni* (Sani Abacha Military regime)
* Michael Akhigbe* (Abdusalami Abubakar Military regime)
* Atiku Abubakar (Olusegun Obasanjo presidency)
* Goodluck Ebele Jonathan (Umaru Musa Yar'Adua presidency)

"*Chief of Staff, Deputy to Military Head of State, and de facto Vice President"