Weird News

[Acting President of Nigeria, Goodluck Jonathan, second from right]

The President of Nigeria, Umaru Yar'Adua, was in ill-health and flew to Saudi Arabia for medical treatment. That was almost three months ago. Since then no one in Nigeria has heard from him. In the meantime, there has been growing pressure for the vice-president to assume power as the acting president. The vice-president is Goodluck Jonathan - which sounds like he is from the same town as Cotton and Increase Mather.

The Wall Street Journal article went on to add --

Mr. Jonathan, who is often seen in a wide-brimmed Stetson hat, has been thrust into power before. In 2005 while he was deputy governor of Bayelsa state, the then-governor, Diepreye Alamieyeseigha, was arrested in London on money-laundering charges. Mr. Alamieyeseigha jumped bail and, dressed as a woman, fled to Nigeria where he was impeached, arrested and sentenced to two years in jail, according to press reports. He was released within hours.

Mr. Jonathan, handpicked as vice president by Nigeria's former president and ruling party, was seen as someone who wasn't as corrupt as the country's other politicians.