Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan nominated Kaduna state governor Namadi Sambo for the post of vice president May 13, a calculated choice which comes just over a week after the death of former President Umaru Yaradua . Yaradua's passing created a vacancy in the vice presidential position , as Jonathan — though serving as Nigeria's " ceremonial " president since January and " acting " president since February — was originally Yaradua's deputy. Sambo's nomination must now be confirmed by the National Assembly. By choosing a northerner, Jonathan, a southerner from the Niger Delta, has complied with the recent Nigerian tradition which mandates the president and vice president must come from each of the country's two general regions. But by choosing a relatively unknown northerner, the now-official president has signaled that he is still contemplating whether or not to run for a term of his own in Nigeria's upcoming national elections.