Who takes charge in the 29 states that had governorship elections on April 11? FELIX NWANERI, TEMITOPE OGUNBANKE and WALE ELEGBEDE report on the new governors expected to pilot affairs of their respective states between 2015 and 2019
From parliament to Govt Houses
The 2015 general elections have come and gone, but it did not fail to live up to the pre-polls rating that it would be the most contentious in Nigeria’s political history. From the March 28 Presidential and National Assembly elections to the April 11 Governorship and House of Assembly elections, it was fierce contests for the various elective positions up for grab.
But after the dust over the elections settled, it was shock and surprises in the camps of most of the political parties that participated in the exercise, especially the two leading ones – ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and opposition All Progressives Congress (APC).
Not only that most political bigwigs and godfathers failed in their hitherto enclaves and strongholds, an incumbent president (Goodluck Jonathan) was defeated for the first time in Nigeria’s history.
The elections also saw the defeat of some incumbent governors, and emergence of 20 new persons as states chief executives in the 29 states where governorship polls held. Nine others returned for their second term. Of these, the APC had 22, leaving the PDP with nine.
Ibikunle Amosun – Ogun
For Senator Amosun, his reelection was a torrid experience. He fought battles from within and outside his party. His former allies ganged up against him, picked their own candidate and plotted his fall but he remained resolute in the battle against him which was interestingly led by his former political godfather, Chief Olusegun Osoba.
The three leading political parties in the election and the forces backing them are no rookies in politics; they all have strong-footing in the sand of politics. The PDP was powered by a senator-elect, Prince Buruji Kashamu; Social Democratic Party (SDP) had a former governor of the state, Osoba behind it; while Amosun’s APC enjoyed a taciturn support of former President Olusegun Obasanjo.
With the exodus that greeted his party, the APC, last year, some analysts gave Amosun a slim chance of returning as governor, but after the first round of elections, it became obvious that the governor and his party had their calculation right. After the contest, the state Returning Officer, Prof. Duro Oni returned Amosun elected after polling 306, 988 votes against Gboyega Isiaka of the PDP, who garnered 201,440. The incumbent governor won 11 local governments, Isiaka had 9, while the SDP and its candidate, Senator Akin Odunsi did not win any local government.
Udom Emmanuel – Akwa Ibom
Born on July 11, 1966, in Awa Iman, in Onna Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State, Udom Emmanuel is an alumnus of the University of Lagos, where he obtained a Bachelor’s degree in Accounting in 1988.
He also attended the Advanced Management Proelramme at INSEAD, France. A corporate strategist and an experienced private sector player, Emmanuel has wide experience in various bluechip organisations that spans over two decades.
The organisations include Price Water House, Diamond Bank Plc and Zenith Bank Plc. He was Audit Manager at Price Waterhouse Coopers; Chief Financial Officer, Zenith Bank Plc; Group Head, Income Optimization, Financial Control & Strategic Planning Department and General Manager, Zenith Bank Plc.
He was an Executive Director on the Board of Zenith Bank Plc from December 2006 until his appointment as the Secretary to the State Government (SSG) of Akwa Ibom State in July 2013. The Akwa Ibom governor-elect polled 996,071 votes on the platform of the PDP to beat APC’s Umana Umana, who had 89,865 votes. He promised to bring his experience and global connections to bear in the governance of the oil-rich state.
Rochas Okorocha – Imo
Born in Ogboko, Ideato South local government area of Imo State in 1962, Owelle Rochas Anayo Okorocha is a man of humble beginning. Many hardly believe that he was once a street trader.
He was also once a teacher while on part time studies at the University of Jos. He later left teaching and school management to set up the Rochas Group of Companies in 1987. The group is a conglomerate with interests spanning real estate, construction, commerce, hospitality, pharmaceuticals, finance, aviation and banking. A man of many parts – politician, philanthropist and business man, one thing which stands Okorocha out is his large heart.
He made his debut in politics when he contested and won election as a member of the National Constitutional Conference in 1994 to represent Ideato North/South Federal Constituency. Though his political life has been viewed by some with mixed feelings, he has remained dogged and resolute in the pursuit of his political career.
A founding member of the PDP, Okorocha’s quest to lead Imo State did not start with the 2011 elections. He contested the governorship primaries of the PDP in 1999 but lost to Chief Achike Udenwa, who eventually won the election.
In 2003, he ran for the presidency on the platform of the All Nigeria People’s Party (ANPP) but could not go through the primary election. He was later invited to join the Federal Cabinet by President Olusegun Obasanjo.
On leaving Obasanjo’s cabinet, Okorocha formed and registered a political party, Action Alliance (AA), but he left the party in 2007 to contest the PDP presidential primaries. He emerged runner-up to late President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua. In 2011, he rallied what was left of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) and defeated the incumbent Imo State governor, Chief Ikedi Ohakim of the PDP.
He has been re-elected for a second term after defeating the candidate of the PDP and Deputy Speaker, House of Representatives, Hon. Emeka Ihedioha, after a supplementary election as the first balloting failed to produce a winner. Okorocha polled a total of 416,996 votes out of the total 806,764 votes cast in the election. Ihedioha had 320,705 while Emmanuel Ihenacho of APGA came a distant third with 28,434 votes.
Ben Ayade – Cross River
Prof. Ayade is the senator representing Cross River North in the National Assembly. He won the April 11 governorship election on the platform of the PDP with 342,016 votes ahead of Odey Ochicha of the APC who polled 53,983. The academic-turned politician is the Vice-Chairman, Senate Committee on Environment and Ecology.
He is also a member of the Senate Committees on Education, Marine Transport, Petroleum Downstream, and Drugs/Narcotics/ Crime. Born on March 2, 1969, Ayade studied at the University of Ibadan; Ambrose Alli University, Ekpoma and Delta State University, before becoming a lecturer.
An environmental consultant, he was at different times chairman of the Ecological Fund and International Institute of Environmental Research. He worked on Groundwater Remediation in Nigeria, and invented a sewage treatment plant based on solar energy and won an award from the government of Japan for outstanding research on Global Warming in Africa.
He was also member of the Nigeria Association of Petroleum Engineers and the Cross River State Poverty Alleviation Board. Before his election into the Senate in 2011, Ayade served as a member of the Strategy Committee in the government of Senator Liyel Imoke. His knowledge of the workings of the outgoing government, perhaps explains his optimism that he can run Cross River State as a business model.
Nasir el-Rufai – Kaduna
Mallam el-Rufai is Governor-elect of Kaduna State. He won the April 11 governorship election on APC’s platform, scoring 1,117, 635 votes to defeat the incumbent governor and PDP candidate, Mukhtar Ramalan Yero, who polled 485,833 votes.
The governor-elect was born on February 16, 1960. He attended the prestigious Barewa College for his secondary education and obtained a Bachelor in Quantity Surveying degree with First Class Honors from Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria.
He also had a LL.B degree from the University of London and a Master’s Degree in Public Administration from the John F. Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University. el-Rufai started his career by establishing a Quantity Surveying and Project Management Consulting firm in 1982 with three other partners.
From November 1999 to July 2003, he was the Director General of the Bureau of Public Enterprises (BPE) and the Secretary of the National Council of Privatisation (NCP) where he spearheaded the privatisation of many government-owned companies. He served as Minister of Federal Capital Territory (FCT) from July 16, 2003 to May 29, 2007, during the Olusegun Obasanjo-led administration.
As a minister, he presided over a real estate boom backed by the radical transformation of infrastructure and land use practices of the FCT. At various times during his tenure as minister, he oversaw the Federal Ministries of Commerce (twice) and Interior. The administration of late President Umaru Yar’adua appointed el-Rufai to the National Energy Council in September 2007, due to the belief that he could contribute positively to the underachieving power sector of the country.
He resigned the appointment in June 2008. In September 2014, el-Rufai announced his intentions to run for Governor of Kaduna State on the platform of APC. He took part in the party’s primaries, won and eventually emerged as Kaduna governor- elect. His victory marked the first time the PDP will lose a governorship election to an opposition party in Kaduna State since 1999.
Ifeanyi Okowa – Delta
The medical doctor-turned politician has a rich political background which has its footing at the grassroots. He was secretary to Ika Local Government Area and later chairman of the Ika North-East Local Government Area (1991-1993). He was also Delta North coordinator of the Grassroots Democratic Movement (GDM). He joined the PDP in 1998, and assisted former Governor James Ibori’s campaign in 1998/1999.
He served as a Commissioner for Agriculture and Natural Resources (1999-2001), Water Resources Development (2001-2003) and Health (2003-2006). In 2007, Okowa resigned to contest the PDP governorship primaries for Delta State, but did not succeed. After the elections, he was appointed Secretary to the State Government (SSG). In 2011, he was elected senator to represent Delta North. He won the governorship election with 724,680 votes, beating Chief Great Ogboru of Labour Party (LP), who scored 130,028 and O’tega Emerhor of the All Progressives Congress (APC), 67,825.
Born in Owa-Alero, Ika North-East Local Government Area of Delta State on July 8, 1959, Okowa attended Edo College, Benin City (1970-1976) before proceeding to the University of Ibadan where he studied Medicine and Surgery, graduating in 1981 with an MBBS degree.
After his National Youth Service, he worked with the then Bendel State Hospitals Management Board as a medical officer before he veered into private practice as director, Victory Medical Centre, Igbanke in 1986. He said his government will focus on agriculture, infrastructural development, youth empowerment as well as to build on what the achievements of the outgoing administration.
Aminu Tambuwal – Sokoto
Aminu Tambuwal, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, will assume the office of governor of Sokoto on May 29. He emerged as governor-elect during the April 11 governorship election on APC’s platform.
Tambuwal polled 647,609 votes while the runner-up and PDP candidate, Senator Abdallah Wali, had 269,074 votes. The Sokoto governor-elect was born on January 10, 1966 in Tambuwal Village in Sokoto State.
He attended Tambuwal Primary School, Sokoto State, where he obtained his First School Leaving Certificate in 1979 and Government Teachers’ College, Dogon-Daji, where he obtained the Teachers Grade 11 Certificate in 1984. He then proceeded to Usman Dan Fodio University, Sokoto, where he studied Law, graduating with an LLB (Hons) degree in 1991. He completed his one year compulsory legal studies at the Nigerian Law School, Lagos and was called to the Bar in 1992.
Tambuwal started learning the legislative ropes in 1999, while working as Personal Assistant on Legislative Affairs to Senator Wali, the then Senate Leader and who he defeated in the governorship poll. In 2003, he decided to run for a legislative seat as representative of the Kebbi/ Tambuwal Federal Constituency and was elected into the House of Representatives on the platform of the then All Nigeria People’s Party (ANPP).
Few months to the 2007 general elections, he defected to the Democratic People’s Party (DPP), alongside the former governor of Sokoto State, Attahiru Bafarawa. After failing to get the party ticket, he dumped DPP and swung back to the ANPP, where he eventually succeeded in picking up a ticket for the election.
But again, when the ANPP governorship candidate for Sokoto State in the 2007 election, Alhaji Aliyu Wamakko dumped the party for the PDP, Tambuwal also followed suit and got re-elected. Tambuwal has held several offices in the lower chamber of the National Assembly.
In 2005, he became the Minority Leader of the House; Deputy Chief Whip in 2007 and became Speaker of the House in 2011. On October 28, 2014, Tambuwal formally defected from the PDP to APC. He later took part in the APC governorship primaries and emerged as the party candidate. Tambuwal on April 11 defeated his former boss, Senator Abdullahi Wali to win the governorship poll.
Nyesom Wike – Rivers
The immediate past Minister of State for Education, who won the Rivers State governorship election on the platform of the PDP, polled 1,029,102 votes to beat his main opponent, Dakuku Peterside of the APC, who had 124,896. Born on August 24, 1967, Wike trained as a lawyer and hails from Rumuepirikom in Obio-Akpor Local Government Area of Rivers State.
After a brief stint with private legal practice, he was elected twice as chairman of Obio/Ak-por council and served two terms in office (1999-2002) and (2004-2007). While in office as council chairman, Wike also served as deputy president, Association of Local Governments of Nigeria (ALGON) in 2004 and was later elected the association’s president. He also represented Africa as a member of the Executive Committee of the Commonwealth Local Governments Forum.
Between October 2007 and May 2011, he served as the Chief of Staff, Government House, Port Harcourt and was appointed the Director-General of Governor Chibuike Amaechi’s re-election Campaign Organisation. The governor-elect of the oilrich state has promised to run an open government that will guarantee a new Rivers State, and where opportunities for growth would be open to all.
Akinwunmi Ambode – Lagos
Ambode, born on June 14, 1963 was elected as the 14th governor of Lagos State during the April 11 governorship election. He won the election on APC platform, scoring 811,994 votes to defeat his closest challenger and the PDP candidate, Mr. Jimi Agbaje, who scored 659,788 votes. Born at Epe, Lagos, Ambode began his primary education at St. Jude’s Primary School, Ebute-Meta, Lagos.
He passed the National Common Entrance in Primary 5 and gained admission into Federal Government College, Warri, where he made history recording the second best result in the entire West Africa in the Higher School Certificate (HSC) examination in the Social Sciences in 1981. He attended the University of Lagos, from where he graduated with honours in Accounting at the age of 21 in 1984.
He became a member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (ICAN) at 24 and had a Masters’ degree in Accounting specialising in Financial Management, also at the University of Lagos, via a Federal Government scholarship. In 1998, he was awarded the United States’ Full bright Scholarship for the Hubert Humphrey Fellowship programme at the Boston University, in Massachusetts on Public Leadership with emphasis on Finance and Accounting, as a result of his commitment to public service.
Ambode had a remarkable career in the civil service. He began his career at the Lagos State Waste Disposal Board, now Lagos State Waste Management Authority, LAWMA, in 1985 as Accountant Grade II and joined the Local Government Service in 1988 as Assistant Council Treasurer, Badagry Local Government.
Between 1991 and 1996, he worked in various capacities as Auditor, Somolu Local Government and Council Treasurer in Alimoso, Somolu, Mushin and Ajeromi-Ifelodun local government areas. In December 1999, he was transferred to the Lagos State Government Civil Service and was appointed acting Auditor-General for Local Governments in 2000, an appointment which was in 2001 confirmed by the Lagos State House of Assembly in 2001, going down in history as the youngest person to be appointed Auditor-General in Lagos State at the age of 37.
He became the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Finance in 2005 and was in 2006 given additional responsibility as Accountant-General for Lagos State, thus putting him in charge of all the state’s financial activities.
Ambode voluntarily retired from the Lagos State Civil Service in 2012 as the first ever Permanent Secretary/Accountant-General to do so and upon retirement, founded Brandsmiths Consulting Limited, a public finance management consulting firm providing public finance and management consulting services to government at all levels.
Okezie Ikpeazu – Abia
The former General Manager of the Abia State Environmental Protection Agency (ASEPA) won the Abia governorship after a rerun, as witnessed in neighbouring Imo State. Ikpeazu polled 264,713 votes to beat his closest challenger, Alex Otti of APGA, who garnered 180, 882 votes. Born on October 18, 1964, Ikpeazu hails from Isialaukwu, Mbato Autonomous Community in Obingwa Local Government Area of Abia State. He graduated from the University of Maiduguri (UNIMAID) where he studied Clinical Biochemistry.
From August 1984 to August 1985, he served as a clinical biochemist in the medical laboratory of the Rivers State University of Science and Technology (RSUST), Port Harcourt for his national youth service. He returned to the University of Maiduguri for an MSc degree in Biochemical Toxicology and graduated in 1990 and obtained a Ph.D in Biochemical Pharmacology from the University of Calabar.
Between 1994 and 1996, he served as Administrative Manager with Cash Bond Investments and Credits Ltd, Lagos. He later joined the services of Enugu State University of Science and Technology (ESUT) as Lecturer 1 in the Department of Applied Biochemistry, Faculty of Applied Natural Sciences, and rose to Head of Department by 2001.
He was also an Adjunct Senior Lecturer, Department of Biochemistry, Ebonyi State University College of Basic Medical Sciences, between 2000 and 2002. In 2002, Ikpeazu served as the Transition Committee (TC) Chairman for Obingwa Local Government Area.
This marked his entry into politics. He also served as Special Adviser to the Governor of Abia State. He was appointed General Manager, Abia State Passengers Integrated Manifest and Safety Scheme (ASPIMSS) from 2007 to 2009. In 2010, he was appointed Chairman, Governing Council of Abia State College of Health Technology, Aba.
During his tenure, he facilitated the accreditation of three critical courses in the institution by the NBTE. In 2011, he was reappointed General Manager, Abia State Passengers Integrated Manifest and Safety Scheme (ASPIMSS), a position he held till 2013 when he was appointed the first Deputy General Manager, Abia State Environmental Protection Agency (ASEPA) Aba and Environs.
Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi – Enugu
Popularly known as Gburugburu, Ugwuanyi is a member of the House of Representatives. He represents Igboeze North/Udenu Federal Constituency of Enugu State on the platform of the PDP. He defeated Okey Ezea of the APC by 482,277 votes against 43,839.
Ugwuanyi was born in March 1964 and hails from Orba Town in Udenu Local Government Area of Nsukka zone of the state. He holds a Bachelor and Masters degrees in Business Administration from University of Nigeria, Nsukka. Before venturing into politics, Ugwuanyi was the General Manager of Premier Insurance Brokers Limited, Enugu. He has been a member of the House of Representatives since 2003, and is the Chairman, House Committee on Marine Transport.
His emergence as the PDP governorship candidate was not without rancour as after the party’s primary election, another aspirant, Senator Ayogu Eze, went to court to challenge the legitimacy of Ugwuanyi’s emergence as the PDP’s flag-bearer. Eze’s petition was finally dismissed by Justice Evoh Chukwu of an Abuja Federal High Court, who ruled that Ugwuanyi’s election in the primary election was legitimate and legally binding. Ugwuanyi has promised to run a people-oriented government.
Dave Umahi – Ebonyi
The governor-elect of Ebonyi State was born in January 1964, and hails from Uburu Clan, Ohaozara Local Government Area. He was deputy governor before his election. He polled 289, 867 votes to defeat his closest rival, Sir Edward Nkwegu of the Labour Party, who had 124, 817 votes.
Umahi had his university education at Anambra State University of Science and Technology where he obtained a Bachelor of Science Degree in Civil Engineering in 1987. After his National Youth Service programme, he worked with SCC Nig. Ltd, an Israeli Company and rose to the position of Project Engineer.
It was there that his managerial and technical competence was brought to bear as he supervised the historic Umuahia Water Project and the Ndiegoro Aba Flood Control measures between 1989 and 1990.
Between 1990 and 1993, he was the General Manager of Norman Engineering and Construction Limited, which he co-founded with Dr. Ombo Isokarari. He was at different times chairman and CEO of Brass Engineering & Construction Nig Ltd; Fucus Investment Nig. Ltd and Osborn La Palm Royal Resort Ltd. He made a foray into politics when he was first appointed acting chairman of Ebonyi State chapter of the PDP in 2007.
He was later elected the substantive state chair-man in 2009, a position he held till 2011, when he became running mate to Governor Martin Elechi in the gubernatorial election, which they won. Given his vast experience in both the private and public sector, Umahi believes that he has what it takes to put an end to the increasing poverty in Ebonyi State as well as to restore peace and order.
Mohammed Abubakar – Bauchi
Mohammed Abubakar is the Governor- elect of Bauchi State. Born on December 11, 1956, he attended Native Authority Primary School, Jos and Tudun Wada Primary School, Kano, from 1963 to 1969 and had his post-primary education at Government College, Kano, between 1970 and 1974. In 1974, he enrolled for the one year programme of the School of Basic Studies, Ahmadu Bello University (ABU) Zaria, after which he gained admission into the institution to study Law in 1975.
He completed his studies in 1978, and attended the Nigeria Law School from 1978 to 1979. Abubakar emerged as APC governorship candidate during the party’s primaries last December. Bauchi State is a PDP state and with the state governor, Isa Yuguda and PDP National Chairman, Alhaji Adamu Mu’azu calling the shots, political pundits thought that Abubakar may not scale through.
But the outcome of the March 28 Presidential and National Assembly elections in Bauchi State changed the calculation as APC swept the state, winning the senatorial and House of Representatives seats. APC presidential candidate, General Muhammadu Buhari, also won the presidential election. Buhari’s victory, no doubt, had an effect on the governorship election. Abubakar polled 654,934 votes while Governor Yuguda’s favourite and PDP candidate, Mohammed Jatau secured 282,650 votes.
Jibrilla Bindow – Adamawa
Senator Bindow is the Adamawa Governor-elect. He won the election by defeating the Social Democratic Party (SDP) candidate, Markus Gundiri and PDP candidate, Nuhu Ribadu. He scored 362,329 votes while Gundiri and Ribadu had 181,806 and 98,917 votes respectively. Bindow, who is currently the Vice Chairman of Senate Committee on Defence, is a businessman and industrialist.
He was reportedly dragged into senatorial race in Adamawa North District prior to 2011 elections by several groups who called on him to challenge the then incumbent, Senator Mohammed Mana.
He took part in the PDP senatorial primaries and defeated Mana. He was later elected into the Senate during the April 9, 2011 senatorial election to represent Adamawa North Senatorial District in the Red Chamber.
Bindow was among the PDP senators who dumped the ruling party to pitch tent with the APC. He contested and won his party’s governorship primaries. His emergence as APC flag bearer for the April 11 elections was worthy of note base on his ability to defeat an aspirant sponsored by former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar in the primaries.
Few days to the governorship election, Buhari; APC National Chairman, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun, Atiku and other party leaders were in Yola, the Adamawa State capital, to campaign for him and other candidates of the party.
Ibrahim Geidam – Yobe
Geidam was elected as deputy governor of Gombe State in the 2007 governorship election, but the death of his boss, Mamman Ali, paved the way for him to be sworn in as governor on January 27, 2009.
Geidam was born on September 15, 1956 in Bukarti village, Yunusari Local Government Area in the old Borno State. He attended the Borno Teachers’ College (BTC), Maiduguri from 1974 to 1979, where he obtained a Teachers’ Certificate.
He attended Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria from 1981 and 1983, earning a Diploma in Accountancy and later returned to the institution to earn a BSc in Accountancy Degree in 1990 and became a member of the Certified Public Accountants of Nigeria. As an accountant, Geidam worked in several government ministries in the old Borno State and present Yobe State.
In April 2007, he was elected deputy governor of Yobe State on the platform of the ANPP and was sworn in on May 29, 2007. He became governor in January 27, 2009 following the death of Governor Ali. Geidam was elected as governor on April 26, 2011 and re-elected on April 11, 2015 on APC platform. Geidam scored 334,847 votes to defeat a former Minister of Police Affairs, Alhaji Adamu Waziri of the PDP, who polled 17,700 votes.
Kashim Shettima – Borno
Governor Shettima, who succeeded his estranged political godfather, Senator Ali Modu Sheriff in 2011 has been reelected as governor of Borno State on the platform of the APC.
He polled 610, 352 votes to defeat the PDP candidate, Gambo Lawani, who scored 34,005 votes. His first coming as governor (2011) was however by accident as Engr. Modu Fannami Gubio, who was elected as the ANPP governorship candidate was shot dead by gunmen, and Shettima was elected during the party’s second primaries.
Born on September 2, 1966 in Maiduguri, Shettima attended Government Community Secondary School, Biu between 1978 to1980 and Government Science Secondary School Potiskum, Yobe from 1980 to 1983.
He studied Agricultural Economics at the University of Maiduguri, graduating in 1989 and also obtained a Masters’ Degree in Agricultural Economics from University of Ibadan in 1991. Shettima served as commissioner in different ministries before becoming governor in 2011 – Finance and Economic Development; Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs; Education; Agriculture and later Health.
Ibrahim Dakwambo – Gombe
Governor Dakwambo was born on April 4, 1962. He graduated from Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria in 1985 with a degree in Accounting and obtained a M.Sc in Economics from the University of Lagos in 1992.
He began his career with Coopers & Lybrand in 1985, and worked at the Central Bank of Nigeria from 1988 to 1999. He was Accountant-General of Gombe State before he was appointed Accountant-General of the Federation on April 20, 2005.
He held the office until he resigned to contest for the Governor of Gombe State in 2011. Popularly known as the Talban Gombe, Dankwambo was re-elected on April 11 on the PDP platform and he is expected to steer the ship of the state for the next four years. He scored 285,369 votes to defeat his closest challenger, Inuwa Yahya of APC, who had 205,132 votes.
Samuel Ortom – Benue
Dr. Ortom, Benue State Governor-elect was born on April 23, 1961 in Guma Local Government Area of Benue State. He attended St. John’s Primary School, Gboko and St. Catherine’s Primary School, Makurdi for his primary education.
He obtained an Advanced Diploma in Personnel Management from the Benue State University in 2001 as well as Master of Public Administration in 2004. Ortom crowned his educational pursuit with a Doctor of Philosophy from the Commonwealth University, Belize, through distant learning. From 1999 till date, Ortom has served in different political positions.
He was Treasurer of the All Peoples Party (APP) and later State Secretary and Deputy Chairman of the PDP, all in Benue State. He was also the Director of Operations of the PDP gubernatorial campaign in Benue State in 2007 and Director of Administration and Logistics of the Goodluck/ Sambo Presidential Campaign Organisation in 2011. He was PDP National Auditor before his appointment as Minister of State for Industry and Investment.
In his quest to govern Benue State, Ortom was among the seven ministers that resigned from President Jonathan’s cabinet last year to contest for PDP governorship ticket in their respective states.
He contested and lost the gubernatorial ticket to Governor Gabriel Suswam’s anointed candidate, Hon. Terhemen Tarzoor. And unlike some of his colleagues who remained in PDP after losing the party’s ticket, Ortom dumped the ruling party for APC, and eventually emerged as its governorship candidate. He polled 422,932 votes while Tarzoor had 313,878.
Abubakar Sani Bello – Niger
Niger State Governor-elect, Abubakar Bello is the eldest child of former military Governor of old Kano State, Col. Sani Bello (rtd). Born on December 17, 1967, Bello attended St. Louis Primary School, Kano and Nigerian Military School, Zaria for primary and post-primary education. He attended University of Maiduguri, where he obtained a BSc in Economics in 1991.
After his one-year national service, he worked in different private and public sectors before he was appointed as Niger State Commissioner for Commerce and Investment by Governor Babangida Aliyu in 2009.
He resigned from Aliyu’s government in 2010 and went back to private business. Last year he joined the governorship race and won the Niger State APC gubernatorial primaries. In the battle that was a contest between two ex-military officers’ sons; Bello and Umar Nasko of the PDP (son of former Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, General Gado Nasko), the former emerged tops with 593,702 against the latter’s 239,772.
Simon Lalong – Plateau
Barrister Lalong, the Governor-elect of Plateau State adopted “change and all inclusive governance” as his selling point during his campaign, studied Law at Ahmadu Bello University (ABU) and was later called to Bar.
He also holds a Master’s Degree in Law (LLM) from University of Jos. He was a former two-term member of the Plateau State House of Assembly, representing Shendam Constituency in the state assembly.
He later served as Speaker of the Assembly. Lalong took part in the APC December 8, 2014 governorship primaries. He won the primaries with 2,222 votes to defeat four other aspirants. Despite the PDP’s popularity and Governor Jonah Jang’s influence on Plateau State politics, Lalong defeated the PDP gubernatorial candidate, Senator Gyang Pwajok to break 16 years of the party’s rule in the state. Lalong polled 564,913 votes while the Pwajok got 520,627 votes.
Umaru Tanko Al-Makura – Nasarawa
Governor Al-Makura, who ran on the platform of the APC, polled 309,746 votes to defeat the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) candidate and former Minister of Information, Laraban Maku, who got 178,983 votes to be re-elected governor of Nasarawa State.
Born in 1952 at Lafia, Nasarawa State, Al-Makura attended Dunama Primary School, Lafia (1959-1966), Keffi Teachers’ College (1967-1971) and former Government Teachers’ College of Education, Uyo (1972-75). He also bagged a Bachelor of Education from Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria in 1978.
In 1980, Al-makura became the Youth Leader of the National Party of Nigeria (NPN) in the old Plateau State and was elected to the Constituent Assembly of 1988-89, representing the Lafia/Obi Federal Constituency. He was also a state secretary of the defunct National Republican Convention (NRC) in Plateau State (1990-1992) and founding member of the PDP in Nasarawa State in 1998.
Prior to the 2011 governorship election, Al-Makura defected to the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) after failing to get the PDP gubernatorial ticket and was elected governor after defeating an incumbent, Aliyu Akwe Doma of the PDP.
Abdulfatah Ahmed ¬– Kwara
Ahmed, a banker-turned politician, has been re-elected to govern Kwara State. He was first elected governor of the state in 2011 on the platform of the PDP. Ahmed was born on December 29, 1963 in Ifelodun Local Government Area of Kwara State.
He attended Government College, Funtua, Kastina (1973-1978) and the School of Basic Studies of Kwara State College of Technology (now Kwara State Polytechnic), Ilorin (1978-1980). He proceeded to University of Ilorin and earned a BSc in Chemistry (1986). He also has a Masters in Business Administration (MBA).
He started as a lecturer and later became Acting Head of Department at Federal College of Arts and Science, Sokoto between 1986 and 1990 before venturing into the banking profession. Among the financial institutions where he worked are District Savings and Loans, Guaranty Trust Bank and Societe Generale Bank. Ahmed served as Kwara State Commissioner for Finance and Economic Development between 2003 and 2009, and later Commissioner for Planning and Economic Development.
He was also Treasurer of the Forum of Commissioners for Finance in Nigeria for six years, and chairman, Budget Formulation Committee and Economic Team of Kwara State. He won the 2011 governorship and succeeded Dr. Bukola Saraki, his political godfather. He won the 2015 governorship poll by defeating the PDP candidate, Senator Simon Ajibola to be re-elected for a second term. Governor Ahmed had 295,832 votes while Ajibola polled 115,220 votes.
Abiola Ajimobi – Oyo
It was expected to be a keenly contested battle especially when history is also hanging as factor in the battle for the Agodi Government House, but Governor Ajimobi, who faced the biggest test of his political life by squaring up against two of his predecessors in office, emerged tops. Ajimobi in the process made history by breaking the 39-year-old second term jinx which former governors like late Bola Ige, Chief Kolapo Ishola, late Lam Adesina, Senator Rashidi Ladoja and Otunba Adebayo Alao-Akala failed to accomplish after their first term in office. He polled 327,310 votes to defeat Rashidi Ladoja of Accord Party (AP), who scored 254,520 votes and Christopher Alao-Akala who got 184,111votes. For analysts, Ajimobi was able to surmount several odds before and during the elections.
Unlike before when the late Alhaji Lamidi Adedibu called the shot on who presides over the state, there was no godfather to point political direction for the Ibadan people and as such, he (Ajimobi) had to stand up and provide leadership despite having three of the leading candidates coming from Ibadan like him.
A former Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of the National Oil and Chemical Marketing Company, a subsidiary of Shell Petroleum Nigeria, Ajimobi left the oil sector in 2002 after 26 years and was elected in 2003 as a Senator representing Oyo South Senatorial District on the platform of the Alliance for Democracy (AD).
After one term in the Senate, he contested in 2007 for the governorship of Oyo State on the platform of the ANPP but lost. He contested again in the 2011 elections on the platform of Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) and was elected governor of Oyo State.
Abdullahi Ganduje – Kano
The governorship election in Kano State was a straight battle between two arguably powerful politicians in the state. Beyond the candidates standing for the election, the state governor, Rabiu Kwankwaso and former governor, now Minister of Education, Ibrahim Shekarau have been locked in a battle of wit and if anything, they were prepared to settle their scores at the April 11 election.
At the end of the raging tussle, Dr. Abdullahi Ganduje of the APC ably backed by his boss, Kwankwanso had the last laugh in a landslide victory against Alhaji Sagir Takai of the PDP. Ganduje polled 1,546,434 votes to PDP’s 509,720. With Kwankwaso stepping down from the governorship seat and heading to Abuja as senator, it is expected Ganduje will manage and inherit his boss’ vibrant political structure across the state.
During the election, the backing of his boss’ political group, Kwankwasiya, was the brain behind his landslide victory. Ganduje is not a greenhorn in politics; he has been in the course for almost 30 years.
Apart from serving twice as deputy governor, he had a stint in the academia and had also served as sole administrator of Abaji Area Council and chairman of Gwagwalada Area Council, all in Abuja.
During the military era, he also served as commissioner in various ministries in Kano State. In 2003, after their ouster from office as Kano State governor and deputy, Kwakwanso appointed Ganduje as Special Adviser (Political) when he was appointed Defence minister by former President Olusegun Obasanjo and later the Executive Secretary of the Lake Chad River Basin Commission. Ganduje holds a PhD in Public Administration from the University of Ibadan.
He started his education at the Qur’anic and Islamiyya School at his village, Ganduje. He also attended Dawakin Tofa Primary School, Government Secondary School, Birnin Kudu; Advanced Teachers’ College, Kano, where he obtained the National Certificate of Education and Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, where he graduated with a Bachelor’s degree in Science Education.
He obtained his first Master’s degree in Applied Educational Psychology from Bayero University Kano in 1979 and later returned to Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, from 1984 to 1985 for a Master’s in Public Administration.
Atiku Bagudu – Kebbi State
Senator Bagudu, who was the candidate of the APC won the Kebbi State governorship election with a wide margin. He won in 19 out of the state’s 21 local government areas, polling 477,376 to defeat his closest rival, Sarkin-Yarkin Bello of the PDP, who polled 293,443 votes.
Bagudu, who is the chairman of the Senate Committee on Interior, was a household name during the late General Sani Abacha’s regime. He was elected to the National Assembly in a by-election in 2010 after Adamu Aliero, the former senator representing Kebbi Central was made Minister of Federal Capital Territory (FCT) by President Goodluck Jonathan. Bagudu enacted what looks like a political magic during the APC governorship primary by clinching the party’s ticket barely 24 hours after joining the party from the PDP with 10 members of the state House of Assembly.
Born in Karaye, Maiyama Local Government Area of Kebbi State, on December 26, 1961, the Governor-elect started his career as a lecturer in the Department of Economics, Usman Danfodio University, Sokoto.
He had a brief stint in banking before travelling to the United States for a post-graduate degree. Upon his return to Nigeria, he became a Special Assistant to the Finance Minister during the Abacha’s regime. Bagudu attended Karaye Primary School in Maiyama Local Government Area and Government Secondary School, Kontogora, in Niger State.
He has a B.Sc in Economics from the Usman Danfodio University, Sokoto, and a Master’s degree in Economics from the University of Jos. He also has an M.A in International Affairs from the Columbia University in the United States of America.
Muhammad Abubakar – Jigawa
Against all permutations, the candidate of the APC in Jigawa State, Alhaji Muhammad Abubakar defeated his opponent and PDP candidate, Mallam Aminu Ringim, the anointed of the incumbent governor, Alhaji Sule Lamido.
The Governor-elect polled 648, 045 to beat Ringim who had 479, 447 votes. Born in Babura, the headquarters of Babura Local Government Area of Jigawa State, in 1962, the Governor-elect of Jigawa State is a graduate of Accounting from the Ahmadu Bello, Zaria and a fellow of the Chartered Institute of Commerce of Nigeria. He is also a member of the National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies, Kuru.
He was the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Talamiz Group, a conglomerate with vast interest in automobile distribution, logistics, real estate, manufacturing, construction and agriculture. Badaru was conferred with the National Honour of the member of the Order of the Niger (MON) by the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria in recognition of his contribution to the socio-economic development of Nigeria.
Abdul’aziz Yari – Zamfara
Governor Yari has been re-elected as governor of Zamfara State and he is expected to steer the ship of the state for the next four years. Born on January 1, 1969, Yari has been politically active in Zamfara State since 1999. He was elected to represent Talata Mafara/Anka Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives during the 1999 elections. He was Zamfara State Chairman of the ANPP and a member of the cabinet of former Governor Ahmed Sani Yerima.
When Yerima’s successor, Governor Mahammud Shinkafi defected to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in January 2009, taking the ANPP’s state executive committee with him, the ANPP’s National Headquarters in Abuja was forced to create a caretaker committee headed by Yari.
He ran for April 26, 2011 governorship election on ANPP platform and defeated his father-in-law and incumbent Governor Shinkafi. Yari scored 514,962 votes while Shinkafi had 460,656 votes. Governor Yari was among the opposition governors that worked tirelessly toward the merger of the ANPP, ACN and CPC to form APC. He emerged as the party’s gubernatorial candidate during December 2014 primaries.
The April 11 governorship in Zamfara State was a repeat of the battle between in-laws, as Yari and Shinkafi were the two gladiators in the race. Governor Yari was declared winner with a total vote of 716,964, while Shinkafi scored 201,938 votes to come second.
Aminu Masari – Katsina
The former Speaker, House of Representatives is the Governor-elect of Kastina State. Masari polled 943, 0815 votes to emerged winner, defeating the PDP candidate, and Governor Ibrahim Shema’s anointed candidate, Musa Nashuni, who had 476,768 votes. Born in May 1950, Masari was elected in 1999 to represent Malumfashi/Kafur Federal Constituency in the Green Chamber and served as Speaker of the House between 2003 and 2007.
Prior to the 2011 elections, Masari declared his intention to run for Kastina State governorship election on the platform of CPC but the aspiration was marred by internal wrangling within his party as Senator Yakubu Garba Lado flew the party’s flag. In December 2014, he emerged as APC governorship candidate, took part in the gubernatorial election and was declared winner. The former Speaker rode on the popularity of President-elect, General Muhammadu Buhari, who also hails from Kastina, to emerge governor.
Darius Ishaku – Taraba
A former Minister of State for Niger Delta Affairs, Ishaku is the Governorelect in Taraba State. He contested on the platform of the PDP and won the poll after a supplementary election. He scored 369,318 votes to defeat the APC candidate, Senator Aisha Jummai Al-Hassan who came second with 275,984 votes. The former minister was born on July 30, 1954 in Ussa Local Government Area of Taraba State.
He was enrolled into St. Bartholomew’s Primary School, Wusasa, Zaria, in 1961, and obtained his First School Leaving Certificate in 1967. He proceeded to famous St. Paul’s College Kufena, Zaria, for his secondary education, in 1972 and passed out in flying colours, obtaining the West African Examination Certificate (WASC). He was admitted into Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria in 1974 and graduated in 1977 with B.Sc in Architecture. He also bagged an M.Sc in Architecture with Distinction in 1979. He was admitted as a Registered Member of the Nigerian Institute of Architects in 1982 and became a fellow of the institute in June, 2001.
He is also a member of the Nigerian Institute of Town Planners. He started his career as an architect in 1980 with Inter De-sign Partnership and work with various architectural companies until he established his own firm, Exchanger Partners, an architectural, planning and engineering firm.
He was first appointed by President Jonathan in 2011 as Minister of State for Power. He was named acting Minister of Power in October 2012 and later Minister of State for Niger Delta Affairs. Ishaku resigned from Jonathan’s cabinet to run for PDP governorship ticket and he got the ticket during the party’s controversial primaries held in Abuja.
He was the candidate of General Theophilus Danjuma, and the influence of the retired Army General contributed immensely to his emergence as the incoming governor of Taraba State come May 29.