Nigerian President Umaru Yar'Adua is dead, a presidential aide has confirmed to the BBC.
A spokesman, who did not want to be named, said Mr Yar'Adua died on Wednesday, although there's been no official announcement yet.
Mr Yar'Adua, who became president in 2007, had been ill for some time, and had not been seen in public for months.
After much wrangling, Vice-President Goodluck Jonathan was accepted as acting president in February.
Reports from Nigeria said Mr Yar'Adua died between 2100 (2000 GMT) and 2200 (2100 GMT) on Wednesday at his presidential residence in the capital, Abuja.
In November last year, Mr Yar'Adua went to a hospital in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, for several months, during which time he was not heard from.
He returned to Nigeria, but Mr Jonathan remained as acting president.
He told the BBC by telephone in January that he was recovering and hoped with "tremendous progress" to resume his duties.
A presidential spokesman said at the time that he was being treated for acute pericarditis, an inflammation of the lining around the heart.
His long absence and the lack of detailed information about his health led to a political limbo in Nigeria that was only filled when Mr Jonathan was named acting president.
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