Former President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan says Hajiya Dada Yar’Adua, mother of late President Umaru Musa Yar’adua, technically made him who he is today.

Jonathan, who said this on Saturday in Katsina when he paid a condolence visit to the Yar’Adua family over the death of their matriarch, described her demise as a personal loss to him.

According to the former Nigeria’s leader, he was on his way to Kigali, Rwanda, when he heard about the sad news, adding that as he returned to the country on Friday, he deemed it necessary to come to Katsina for the condolences.

This woman technically made me who I am.

“Her death is really touching to me. It was her son who brought me as his running mate and without this woman, you wouldn’t have known my name. So she was like my mother and this is like the death of my mother.

“It is a very sad moment for all of us. I travelled on Monday because I was going to Kigali. When I arrived at Adiss Ababa, our head of mission there told me about the sad news.

On behalf of myself, my team, my community and my state, I extend our heartfelt condolences to the Yar’Adua family and indeed to the good people of Katsina State,” he said.

Recall that Late Dada, who was also the mother of late Shehu Musa Yar’adua and Senator Abdul Aziz Musa Yar’adua, the Senator representing Katsina Central Constituency and current Chairman, Senate Committee on Army, died in the evening hours of Monday September 2nd, 2024 after a brief illness at the Federal Teaching Hospital, Katsina.