Jonathan Zwingina

{{Short description|Nigerian politician (1953 or 1954 – 2024)}}

{{Use Nigerian English|date=January 2023}}

{{Infobox officeholder

| name = Jonathan Silas Zwingina

| image =

| width = 150px

| office1 = Senator for Adamawa South

| term_start1 = May 1999

| term_end1 = May 2007

| predecessor1 =

| successor1 = Grace Folashade Bent

| birth_date = 1953 or 1954

| birth_place = Adamawa State, Nigeria

| death_date = {{death date and given age|df=y|2024|10|02|70}}

| death_place =

| party =

}}

Jonathan Silas Zwingina (1953 or 1954 – 2 October 2024) was a Nigerian politician who was elected Senator for the Adamawa South constituency of Adamawa State, Nigeria at the start of the Nigerian Fourth Republic, running on the People's Democratic Party (PDP) platform. He took office on 29 May 1999.{{cite web |url=http://psephos.adam-carr.net/countries/n/nigeria/nigerialeg2.txt |title=FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF NIGERIA LEGISLATIVE ELECTION OF 20 FEBRUARY AND 7 MARCH 1999 |work=Psephos |access-date=2010-06-25}} He was reelected in April 2003, again on the PDP platform.{{cite web |url=http://www.dawodu.com/senator.htm |title=Senators |work=Dawodu |access-date=2010-06-25}}

After taking his seat in the Senate in June 1999, he was appointed to committees on Works & Housing (chairman), Establishment, Internal Affairs, Information, Special Projects, Privatization and Economic Affairs.{{cite web |url=http://www.nigeriacongress.org/assembly/committees1.htm |title=Congressional Committees |publisher=Nigeria Congress |access-date=2010-06-25 |url-status=usurped |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091118151316/http://www.nigeriacongress.org/assembly/committees1.htm |archive-date=2009-11-18}}

Zwingina's palatial residence in Abuja was demolished in February 2007, allegedly on the orders of Nasir el-Rufai, the Federal Capital Territory Minister.{{cite web |url=http://allafrica.com/stories/200702060097.html |title=El-Rufai Pulls Down Zwingina's House |work=Vanguard |author=Emmanuel Aziken |date=6 February 2007 |access-date=2010-06-25}}

In September 2003, Nasir el-Rufai, alleged that Deputy Senate President Ibrahim Mantu and Zwingina, at the time Senate Majority Leader, asked him for a bribe of N54 million (US$418,000) to secure approval for his appointment as minister.{{Cite web |last=Anwar |first=Kabiru R. |date=2018-05-06 |title=Where is Senator Zwingina? |url=https://dailytrust.com/where-is-senator-zwingina/ |access-date=2024-05-29 |website=Daily Trust |language=en-US}}{{Cite journal |last=Mohammed |first=Usman |date=February 2013 |title=CORRUPTION IN NIGERIA: A CHALLENGE TO SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT IN THE FOURTH REPUBLIC |url=https://core.ac.uk/reader/236415310 |journal=European Scientific Journal (European Scientific Institute) |pages=128}}{{Cite web |last1=Mojeed |first1=Musikilu |last2=Adebayo |first2=Taiwo-Hassan |title=INTERVIEW: I regret not laying down my life to get third term for Obasanjo – Ibrahim Mantu |url=https://www.premiumtimesng.com/features-and-interviews/199763-interview-i-regret-not-laying-life-get-third-term-obasanjo-ibrahim-mantu.html?tztc=1 |access-date=2024-05-29 |website=Premium Times}} Zwingina said that he was "shocked and horrified" by the accusations and that el-Rufai "is a pathological liar."{{Cite news |date=2003-10-08 |title=Nigerian minister tells of bribe |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/3173830.stm |access-date=2024-05-29 |language=en-GB}}

Zwingina was the chairman of the board of trustees of Save Democracy Group Africa.{{Cite web|url=https://www.sunnewsonline.com/2-govs-pdp-scribe-bag-mandela-awards-2/|title=2 govs, PDP scribe bag Mandela awards|website=Sunnewsonline.com|date=25 August 2017|access-date=8 December 2021}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.today.ng/news/nigeria/poverty-unemployment-threat-nigerias-democracy-senator-zwingina-38263|title=Poverty, unemployment threat to Nigeria's democracy – Senator Zwingina|first=Sheriff|last=Bona|website=Today.ng|date=1 December 2017|access-date=8 December 2021}} He died on 2 October 2024, at the age of 70.{{cite news |title=Senator Jonathan Zwingina dies at 70 |url=https://thenicheng.com/breaking-senator-jonathan-zwingina-dies-at-70/ |access-date=3 October 2024 |publisher=The Niche |date=3 October 2024}}