“Nearly all men can stand adversity, but if you want to test a man’s character, give him power” – Abraham Lincoln.
The above is a famous character quote from one of the most famous American President. It highlights the raw audacity of power whenever a man or woman no matter how meek or weak looking he might be. As soon as the person is cloth with the aura of an office (power), the true character of a man tends to unveil.
By the return of democracy in 1999, the first class of Governors who mounted the saddled of leadership across the 36 states of the federation attempted and in nearly all cases succeeded in foisting on their respective states so-called puppets (so they had initially thought) on the people of the state. But today most of them if not all of them can’t take a casual walk to visit the same government house in which the once held sway and exercised unlimited powers. Aside the current Lagos State Governor Babatunde Fashola who still exudes visible 100% loyalty to his benefactor (Asiwaju Bola Tinubu), no other state(s) in the country can truly boost of a sitting governor which is in good terms with their once boss who foisted them even though they could not have made it on their own to the exalted seat without the help of their predecessor(s).
For the class of 2007 who will be handing over power in a couple of months on May 29th, 2015 the rituals is on once again. Incumbent governors fail to learn from history and yet still embark on a fruitless preposterous quest of foisting a so-called puppet or loyalist in government house who will immediately on assuming office chase his benefactor out of the state and then boldly and swiftly move to erase whatever structures his predecessor had put in place. Most times the crises stem from the obvious reasons that the once upon a time occupant still aspires to exert over bearing influence on the running of the state, which clashes with the interest(s) of the new man at the helm of affairs.
According to Machiavelli in his 16th century political treatise “The Prince”, he suggested in Chapter 7 that any Prince who comes to the power through luck or the blessings of powerful figures in the regime typically has an easy time gaining power but a hard time keeping it thereafter because his power is dependent on his benefactors’ goodwill. He continues that such a prince does not command the loyalty of the armies and officials that maintain his authority and this can be withdrawn from him at a whim. Therefore he suggests that such a Prince must quickly build his own if not he will realise that it is a matter of time before he loses his throne. This appears to be true for the new and innocent looking candidates been paraded by incumbent governors as their successors. They incoming class of governors may or may not intentionally have plans to fall out with their benefactors when the clinch the throne, but it is just a simple unconscious rule of thumb that any king isn’t worthy of his throne if he doesn’t have a troop of his own. How do you guard your life or protect your kingdom whenever the need arises? These new incoming governors as a matter of necessity not necessarily choice will have to secure their legacies at the end of their tenures, after all the buck including the blames will stop at their tables. So knowing the rules of the game which they had realised before mounting the saddle or which they will get to discover once they mount the throne, and will only play along until they are successfully escorted to the throne by the incumbents who stops at nothing to exercise all the powers of their incumbency to ensure that “his boy” takes over. Once “the boy” secures the title of “His Excellency”, he starts to gather his own troops according to Machiavelli as the new governor will definitely not want to remain someone else’s boy forever, as every servant hopes to be a master one day. It is all a survival strategy, you need to buckle up in the jungle or you can’t last long as the jungle will consume you; every animals in the wild know these survival rules instinctively at heart through nature. The outgoing Chief Executive of the States in an attempt to foist their successors on the people go as far as also deciding who gets what, from Commissionership to board appointments in the incoming government. This usually serves as the catalyst for a fall out as the new helmsmen most likely always have diverse views and plans of their own which they only voice out once they have been entrusted with the crown and secured the powerful constitutional immunity assured office.
Let’s quickly attempt to x-ray the 36 states of the federation where starting from the class of ’99 governors completed their tenures in 2007 and handed over to a loyalist. We also examine to see which states the current “anointed governor” is still in terms with his benefactor. Note this article only seeks to primarily focus on states where the governors who successfully completed their two terms of 8 years in office were also equally successful in transferring powers to their political loyalists. States were an opposition party won the elections to end the incumbent re-election or succession plans will be mainly highlighted with events which transpired during the election and political process.
Abia: The governor from 1999 – 2007 Orji Uzor Kalu at the end of his tenure foisted his boy, then Chief of Staff who was in detention and he even won the primaries of the Progressive Peoples Alliance (PPA) and subsequently the governorship elections with over 200,000 votes , a world record only shared with Senator Iyiola Omisore of Osun State. The rest is now history as current governor T. A. Orji hurriedly drove his benefactor shamefully out of the state and even claimed that Kalu forced him to swear to an oath of loyalty in a fetish shrine. Now former governor Orji Uzor Kalu only keeps tracks of ongoing in Abia government house through the newspapers as he is no longer welcomed there. A classic Machiavellian case of a prince coming to the throne with borrowed troops who quickly moved to establish his authority and assemble his own troops and loyalists. The experience which he meted out to his benefactor is perhaps responsible for his continued refusal to toe the same path as he has repeatedly insisted that he will not anoint a successor as only the people of Abia State can choose his successor. A wise move to avoid the free menu from karma one may say.
Adamawa: Former Governor Boni Haruna and currently the Nigerian Minister for Youth Development, was once upon a time a strong Atiku’s political loyalist and boy. He fortuitously inherited the throne after his master was equally fortuitously elevated to the position of Vice President by former Nigerian leader Chief Olusegun Obasanjo. Here we look no further as the incumbent Haruna who crossed over with his political master Alhaji Atiku Abubakar to the then Action Congress (AC)were unsuccessful in foisting a succession plan as their candidate for the governorship elections Alhaji Ibrahim Bapetel was defeated by the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) candidate Murtala Nyako.
Akwa Ibom: Former governor Victor Attah (1999- 2007) had endorsed current governor Godswill Akpabio (then his Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs) to take over from him at the end of his tenure in 2007. Attah was even reported to take Akpabio to Esan Ibibio (the highest traditional council in Ibibio land) and raised Akpabio’s hands and endorsed him as his rightly successor. But one morning as the primaries drew near; Attah woke up from the wrong side of the bed and started developing cold. He suddenly thought that Akpabio was no longer suitable for the exalted job and rather hurriedly push forward his son-inlaw Dr. Bob Ekarika who was also serving in his cabinet as Commissioner for Health. The rest is now history as the traditional council refused to accept another name from Attah and cautioned him that any goat that is brought to the traditional temple is non-retractable. The whole state went into frenzy and even Attah’s inner cabinet of commissioners revolted against him for the sudden volte face and decided to stick with Akpabio. Now it appears the same scenario might likely play out as Akpabio might have forgotten history so fast and is playing his current Secretary to the State Government card, Udom Emmanuel after initially flirting with the idea with his previous SSG Umana Okon Umana.
Anambra: In this state the political configuration has been unsteady ever since former governor Chinwoke Mbadinuju even after winning the PDP Primaries for re-elections was forced to step down by former President Obasanjo on the allegations of non-performance and ordering the murder of the President of the Onitsha Branch of the Nigerian Bar Association, Mr. Barnabas Igwe. An electoral fraud squad dumped Senator Chris Ngige inside government house in 2003 with the intentions of holding the state treasury to ransom before the courts dumped Dr. Ngige out and returned the electoral mandate to its rightful owner Mr. Peter Obi who just completed his 8 years tenure in March this year before handing over to his stooge and boy Chief Willie Obaino in March. Obaino was an Executive Director in Fidelity Bank, a financial institution which former governor Obi has a strong interest and influence. It is still early days to ascertain if Obaino will start to build his own troops and lock government house Awka from the access of Mr. Obi who analyst believe is a gentleman to the core and may not even be interested to know what is going on inside the government house, and may have kissed the place goodbye for good.
Bauchi: Here as well the current National Chairman of the PDP, Alhaji Adamu Mu’azu who was governor from 1999 – 2007 failed to foist his anointed candidate then SSG Nadada on the state as he was heavily defeated by the incumbent governor of the state Mallam Isa Yuguda who ran on the platform of the All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP). Yuguda a former Group Managing Director and CEO of Inland Bank was alleged to have bankrolled Mu’azu’s governorship elections in 1999 with an understanding he takes over at the completion of his two terms. Mu’azu in gratitude nominated Yuguda as Minister from the state and the later was appointed first as Minister of State for Transport in June 2000 before he was moved to the Aviation ministry by Obasanjo. But as 2007 elections drew near, Mu’azu developed cold feet in handing over to his political associate as he allegedly sensed a lack of loyalty, so he reneged on his agreement and rather opted for his SSG whom he trusted to be loyal. Yuguda was disappointed and forced to cross over to the opposition ANPP where he launched a successful governorship bid and took over the state before returning to his former political house the PDP in April 2009.
Bayelsa: The home state of Mr. President has weathered its own fair share of political storm. Just when the current President Goodluck Jonathan was about settling in to the governorship position he inherited from his former boss, higher duties came calling and he paired with late President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua for the presidency. Former Gov. Timipre Sylva was to inherit his governorship ticket for the 2007 elections and failed to secure the nod to continue for a second term as current governor Hon. Seriake Henry Dickson was preferred in his stead. Here we analyse no further.
Benue: After seeing off his two terms as governor, Senator George Akume played a huge role in bringing about Rt. Hon. Gabriel Suswam as his successor. Suswan a two term member of the Federal House of Representative initially did not win the first ballot of the PDP primaries and there was to be a run off according to the party’s constitution for the highest finishing contestants. But Akume stepped in with his power of incumbency and pressurised other contestants to donate their votes for the current governor. But now both men operate in parallels as the former governor Akume has since crossed over to the opposition party ACN were he won re-election back into the senate. Will Suswam also anoint a successor and break the succession jinx? Time will tell.
Borno: The first governor from 1999 Mallam Kachalla was upstaged from office by Senator Ali Modu Sheriff who ruled for 8 years before handing over to current governor Kashim Shettima who served as variously as Commissioner for Finance and Economic Development, Local government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Education, Agriculture and later Health under Sheriff. Initially he wasn’t the choice to succeed Sheriff. The anointed successor Engr. Modu Fannami Gubio was shot and killed by gunmen before a second ANPP primaries was organised in February 2011 which threw up Shettima as the second choice for Sheriff. He won the governorship elections and has ever since joined the bandwagons of successors who lock the courtesy gate of government house to their benefactors. Even media attacks and press release coming out from Borno government house against Modu Sheriff are unpalatable and the former governor has since sought refuge in the ruling PDP.
Cross River: Here is a gentleman state where three friends called the triumvirate were alleged to come together to draw out a plan to rule the state in turns of 8 years each. The men in question are former Governor Donald Duke (1999-2007), current governor Liyel Imoke and Mr. Gershom Bassey. It is understood that Imoke even mortgaged his father’s prime property in Lagos to bankroll Duke’s election after it was agreed amongst them Duke takes the first shot at the office. In appreciation Mr. Duke nominated his friend for a federal appointment where President Obasanjo first appointing Imoke as a Special Adviser on Public Utilities and subsequently in Obj’s second term he was entrusted with the highly sensitive position as Minister of Power and Steel. Back home, the third leg of the triumvirate was kept busy and warm with the position of Chairman of Cross River State Water Board while awaiting Imoke to complete his shot at the throne before he steps forward to seal the planned hat trick on the state. But crack has already appeared in the group immediately Imoke took over as he reversed most of the decisions of his predecessor and friend Duke, and in some cases completely halt or discontinue with the policies of Mr. Duke as in the case of the multi-billion naira ambitious Tinapa project.
Signs of crack in the political friendship appeared immediately when Imoke took over the leadership of the state and was alleged to have reversed the ownership of some key state assets which his political associate was alleged to have privatised for himself. The height of the crack became visible when Mr. Duke arrived in Calabar, the state capital to commission the Women and Children Hospital, a pet project initiated by the former First Lady Mrs. Onari Duke. The commissioning ceremony was brought to an abrupt end as policemen on orders from above where asked to detain him. But still relationship between Duke and Imoke still appears to be frosty than healthy. Recent events in the state now points to the direction that Imoke is under extreme pressure and unwilling to continue with the triumvirates plans as he favours power moving to the Northern senatorial district of the state which has not produced the governor since 1999. It is understood that Mr. Imoke favours handing over to his Commissioner for Works, Barr. Legor Dagbor while others think it might be all a well thought out gimmick to distract the people of the state from the original plans. Whosoever will now emerge as the new governor’s boy is yet to be seen, and will he break the chain of power takeover disloyalty?
Delta: Former governor James Ibori ruled for two complete terms and handed over to his Itsekiri cousin, Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan. Although Ibori is currently cooling off behind a prison wall in faraway United Kingdom, there is no sign to suggest that there is a political faceoff between the two. Infact political analysts believe Ibori still pulls strong strings over Delta state even from the comfort of his prison walls. If this is the case, then it well means that Delta joins Lagos State with a successful succession plan. Signs of a close working relationship exist as Gov. Uduaghan repeatedly claims that no Delta State money is missing and has tried unsuccessful to get his cousin off the hook. Blood been thicker than water might be the key here, and if that is the case Ibori played his cards perfectly well.
Ebonyi: Former governor Sam Egwu couldn’t resist the temptation of assisting a successor to the throne as he helped Chief Martin Elechi to win the PDP governorship ticket. Although the current septuagenarian governor of the state has already been an household name in the politics of the South East, many regarded him as a kingmaker and never expected him to throw his hat into the ring until he did and Egwu assited him to clinch it. Some PDP political heavyweights in the state such as Senator Julius Ucha, Lawrence Nwuruku, Obinna Ogba and Dr. Aja Nwachukwu were made to step down for Elechi to clinch the throne. Though Egwu ever since leaving office has not shown interference in the running of Ebonyi and he was former President Obasanjo’s choice for Chairman of PDP until he was forced to step down for a consensus candidate Prince Vincent Ogbulafor. Egwu later held Federal position as Minister of Education and had chosen not to toe that path of most of his former colleagues and drew lines between the running of the state and his successor and as such avoided conflict. But nearing the end of his second term, Elechi has chosen to anoint the immediate past Minister for Health Professor Onyebuchi Chukwu as his preferred successor. Recently, Elechi organised a meeting for stakeholders from Ebonyi North/Central Senatorial district where he formally announced Chuwku as the consensus nominee to succeed him. It is now left to be seen if Elechi will deviate from the footsteps of his predecessor and choose to mingle in the government of his preferred successor should he be successful at the 2015 governorship polls.
Edo: Here the incumbent governor Comrade Adams Oshiomole then of the Labour Party (LP) entered into a political alliance with the Actions Congress Party and destroyed whatever succession plans in the state. He retrieved his mandate from the PDP through the courts.
Ekiti: Since the return to democracy in 1999, no single governor has served two successive terms with current governor Ayo Fayose holding the single record in the country for upstaging two incumbent governors from the seat.
Enugu: Senator Chimaroke Nnamani, a medical doctor who governed the state for 8 years found pleasure, confidence and assurances in handing over to Barr. Sullivan Chime who was his secondary school buddy and classmate in College of Immaculate Conception (CIC) in Enugu. Both men left secondary school together to attend University of Nigeria Nsukka (UNN) Enugu campus but chose different career paths. Nnamani opted to study medicine while Chime preferred law as a career. Nnamani later went to the United States of America to specialise as a doctor and work there, and on his return secured the governorship of the state where he first appointed his bosom buddy as a Special Adviser (Legal Matters) and subsequently the Attorney General and Commissioner of Justice for the state in 2001. When his time was up in government house, there was no better person to entrust the leadership of the state to than his best friend as Nnamani even super imposed his image on the same governorship campaign posters with Nnamani. It was that close their friendship that both men share same posters. Chime got his throne and immediately implemented the Machiavellian principle immediately on assuming office and hurriedly drove his friend out of government house. His riddance was so humiliating and bad that he even opened up Nnamani for prosecution by EFCC. But as 2015 gears up, it seems Chime has failed to take cue from his treatment on Nnamani as they say what goes around, pretty much comes around. Chime has decided to anoint a successor of his own in the person of Hon. Ifeanyi Ugwanyi, the member representing Igbo Eze North/ Udenu Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives. How Hon. Ugwanyi will break the betrayal train is highly interesting to watch.
Gombe: Senator Mohammed Danjuma Goje of PDP having defeated an incumbent ANPP governor Alhaji Hashidu completed his term in 2011. In a classic example of a true leader, he didn’t interfere in the race for his successor. He was repeatedly quoted as saying that “any person that the people say they want, I want him too”. He left the race open with over ten aspirants contesting on the ruling platform of PDP including incumbent governor Ibrahim Hassan Dankwambo who previously served as the Accountant General of the state and subsequently held the same position as the Accountant General of the federation. This matured political exhibition which is quite rare in the country has foreclosed a possible clash of personalities between Goje and his successor. Meanwhile Goje opted to represent his senatorial district in the national assembly on the completion of his tenure while completely handing over the affairs of the state to his successor for good.
Imo: Former governor Achike Udenwa on completing his tenure in 2007 attempted to foist his successor Chief Charles C. Ugwu a former President of the Manufacturing Association of Nigeria (MAN). The plan did not go down well with other governorship contestants especially Senator Ifeanyi Ararume who had clearly won the primaries but was denied his ticket on the grounds of a consensus arrangement orchestrated by President Obasanjo which saw a Chief Ugwu that finished a distant tenth (10) in the keenly contested race handed the PDP governorship ticket. The fall out of the primaries saw Ararume fighting to retrieve his ticket through the courts and the resultant confusion that engulfed the state saw INEC conducting the governorship elections on two occasions. The first governorship run saw All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA) candidate Martins Agbaso win the race only for INEC to abruptly cancel it and call for a re-run which saw Ikedi Ohakim of the Progressives People Alliance (PPA) win the follow up elections. Ohakim will later cross over to PDP but lost his re-election bid to current governor Rochas Anayo Okorocha who ran on the platform of APGA.
Jigawa: Here the current governor Alhaji Sule Lamido finally successfully ran for the governorship of the state on the platform of PDP having narrowly lost the same position to All People’s Party (APP) Ibrahim Saminu Turaki in 1999. Lamido a former Minister of Foreign Affairs during Obasanjo’s administration was already seen as force in PDP both in the state and at the federal level, and when Turaki crossed over to PDP in December 2006 to actualise his Presidential ambitions on the platform of the ruling party Lamido had already secured his ticket on the party’s platform and was just waiting for the general elections. Lamido was the personal choice of President Obasanjo to rule the state in 2007.
Kaduna: Senator Ahmed Markafi having held sway for 8 years from 1999 to 2007 had kept his succession plans very close to his chest. Close to the expiration of his tenure, his inner circles were busy jostling on whom to succeed him until Markafi it was alleged called for a closed door kitchen cabinet meeting with his aides and some aspirants were he allegedly dropped the news of Sambo his friend of over two decades as his successor. The two had enjoyed a thriving predecessor- successor relationship until fate shot Sambo to the Vice Presidency, a position which Senator Markafi was keenly interested in and was endorsed by the northern Senators Forum to President Jonathan for appointment as his Vice President when the position became vacant. Revelling on his new position as the most senior political officer holder from the entire north, Sambo decided to assert his clouth on the politics of the state, a situation which hasn’t gone down well with Markafi and has led to their deteriorating relationship. With the death of Patrick Ibrahim Yakowa who inherited the governorship seat from Sambo on his elevation to the Vice Presidency, the new governor Mukhtar Ramalan Yero a godson of Sambo and his former Commissioner for Finance who also worked as an accountant in Sambo’s architectural firm has finally played the supreme powers of the politics of Kaduna state into the hands of Sambo.
Kano: Former governor Ibrahim Shekarau then on the platform of APP interrupted the second term plans of the current governor Engr. Rabiu Kwankwaso in 2003, who in turn threw Shekarau’s succession plans to the bin by making a return to the Kano government house in 2011 elections.
Katsina: Current governor Ibrahim Shema who served as the Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice under late President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua first term as governor of Katsina State also served as the Deputy National Chairman of the PDP (North-West zone) was anointed to succeed the late President as governor. The late President may have been too busy running the affairs of the country to have time to mingle in his state politics or he stayed too short in Aso Rock to ascertain if he would have had a fall out with the governor of his home state like Jonathan fell out with his home state governor Timipre Sylva over poor performance.
Kebbi: Current governor Usman Saidu Dakingari won elections as governor in April 2007 under the platform of the PDP although his predecessor who was governor on the platform of the APP and later ANPP did cross over to the PDP in February 2007 from where he contested and won elections as a Senator but later served as Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) from December 2008 to March 2010.
Kogi: The ANPP governor from 1999 Abubakar Idris was roundly beaten by an unknown business man Ibrahim Idris of PDP in the 2003 elections. Idirs went on to complete his 8 years in 2011 and handed over to his brother-in-law Captain Idris Wada who is the current governor of the state in his first term. A classic case of nepotism were family ties should nourish their relationship.
Kwara: Senator Bukola Saraki the former governor of the state successfully ruled for 8 years then opted to go to the senate after failing in his Presidential bid and handed over the reins of the state to his boy puppet and former Commissioner for Finance and Economic Development Abdulfatah Ahmed. The new governor represents a classic example of a successful anointing of a successor as he has no mind and soul of his own. A rather complete disgrace to the highly exalted position as he has completely handed the running of the affairs of the state to Saraki. When and how he will get fed up of Saraki’s overbearing influence is yet to be seen as he still accompanies Saraki to functions where he loyally refers to Saraki as the leader of the state. He and others from the state also refers to Saraki as the source; whatever that means confirms the supreme leadership of Saraki across the length and breadth of Kwara politics. Ahmed at the direction and instruction of Senator Saraki decamped together with four other governors from the PDP to the opposition APC in November 2013.
Lagos: The Centre of Excellence follows Kwara not only alphabetically in the ordering of the list of states in Nigeria but in puppet governors and their ways. Spending time to elaborate Tinubu’s larger than life image in the state is akin to reciting ones name. Tinubu breathes infinite influence and control over the state that he is even anointing a third generation successor in the person of his former Accountant General of the state Mr. Akin Ambode. All major road contracts in Lagos state are allegedly handled by Tinubu’s company Hitech Construction at exorbitant rates. Asiwaju also serves as tax consultant to the Lagos State government through his tax firm ABC Consortium which consults for the Lagos State government at an alleged astronomical fee of 3 billion naira per month. The Asiwaju breath stretches over to APC controlled states in the South West and handles road contracts as well through his Hitech Construction firm. Nothing sums up Tinubu’s supremacy over the state than the statement by Ekiti State governor Mr. Ayo Fayose that there are very few things which Gov. Fashola can lay claim to ownership and control, and that is only his wife. Let’s move on as life continues for Lagosians as normal. As matters stand, it still difficult to envision if and when it will be ever possible to collect Tinubu his meal ticket in Lagos state.
Nasarawa: Abdullahi Adamu a founding member of PDP and secretary of the party’s Board of Trustee completed his two terms of 8 years in 2007 and handed over to his successor Aliyu Doma who failed to secure a second term and lost out in his 2011 re-election bid to Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) candidate and current Governor Umaru Tanko Al-Makura. The current governor Al-Makura had defected from the PDP having lost the governorship primaries and successfully challenged for the seat from the CPC which was primarily promoted by General Muhammadu Buhari its Presidential candidate.
Niger: Current governor Mu’azu Babangida Aliyu was a former federal permanent secretary who was a direct anointed candidate of President Obasanjo on the expiration of the two terms of former governor Engr. Abdulkadir Kure who had anointed Alhaji Jibrin Bala Guna Alhassan his permanent secretary in the Ministry of Local Government as his successor. The governor’s anointed candidate Alhassan won the PDP governorship primaries with 3, 579 votes. Then came the EFCC which undermined his continued candidacy and current governor Aliyu who was then a permanent secretary in Abuja and not even a card carrying member as at that time before he was handed the party’s governorship ticket by some superior forces from Abuja who stepped in to douse the heightened tension between Engr. Kure and his feuding party chairman Alhaji Abubakar Magaji who had preferred Alhaji Idris Abubakar Azozo. But less than a month after Aliyu took over from Kure, he set up a Debt Verification Committee to look into claims of unpaid contracts by his predecessor. At the end of the exercise, the committee reported wide spread misappropriation of state’s resources. The details of the report have closed any room for friendship between Aliyu and Kure.
Ogun: Former governor Gbenga Daniel running on the platform of the PDP distorted the re-election plans of Alliance for Democracy (AD) governor Olusegun Osoba in the political tsunami which swept across the South West that only Lagos state was the surviving progressive party. On completion of his two terms, Daniel and his party failed to establish a succession as current governor Ibikunle Amosun running on the platform of the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) won the 2011 governorship elections.
Ondo: The famous political tsunami that swept across the state in 2003 didn’t also spare Ondo as the late Gov. Adebayo Adefarati was upstaged by PDP’s candidate late Dr. Olusegun Agagu who served as Minister of Aviation under Obasanjo’s administration. But Agagu didn’t not complete his second term as the courts sacked him 2009 and installed Labour Party (LP) candidate Dr. Olusegun Mimiko who served as SSG to Agagu and was later Minister of Housing and Urban Development under President Obasanjo. Mimiko defected from the ruling party to LP and contested for the governorship seat.
Osun: The state wasn’t spared the South West political tsunami as the incumbent governor on the platform of AD Adebisi Akande was defeated by the PDP candidate Olagunsoye Oyinlola in the 2003 governorship elections. His re-election in 2007 was upturned by the court of appeal on 26th November 2010 and the Action Congress governorship candidate Engr. Rauf Aregbesola who is political godson and former Commissioner for Works and Infrastructure to Bola Tinubu was declared winner of that election and was subsequently sworn in.
Oyo: The state was ruled from 1999 to 2003 by Alhaji Lam Adesina of AD who lost he sit to Rashidi Ladoja of PDP in the 2003 elections. Ladoja could not complete his tenure as he was impeached on 12th January, 2006 by the State House of Assembly as result of his fall out with the powerbroker of the state late Alhaji Lamidi Adedibu. He was succeeded by his Deputy Christopher Adebayo Alao- Akala. By 2011 elections, Akala could not return as he was defeated in a keenly contested governorship election by ACN candidate Abiola Ajimobi.
Plateau: Joshua Chibi Dariye was about the only governor in the 1999 set that had a turbulent time throughout his two terms as the governor of the home of peace and tourism. He was ousted twice and he staged a return twice to his seat. The state was also under emergence rule as Retired Major Ali was appointed by President Obasanjo to restore law and order in the troubled state. Later Dariye also lost his seat to his Deputy Michael Botmang as eight out of the twenty four members of the State House of Assembly in rare political stunt impeached him from office. Dariye’s plate was full to the brim throughout his turbulent tenure and he was too busy trying to reclaim his seat back which he finally secured through the Supreme Court in April 2007. By then current governor Jonah David Jang had secured the PDP governorship ticket and had gone on to win the April 2007.
Rivers: The whole Rivers State was awaiting May 29th, 2007 when then State House of Assembly speaker Rt. Hon. Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi will take over from his political godfather Dr. Peter Odili. Then came the infamous story of 20 billion naira in his account discovered by EFCC and later the k-leg theory by President Olusegun Obasanjo in Port Harcourt Liberation Stadium South-South zonal rally. From there political tension in the state arose as Barr. Celestine Ngozi Omehia the cousin of Amaechi who was Executive Assistant to Odili was brought into the political picture of the state and he was elected as governor of the state and sworn in May 29th, 1999 in place of his cousin. That was just the beginning of the political heat in the oil rich city as Amaechi started a fight to reclaim what was rightfully his and ever since Rivers State and Nigeria has not known any sort of peace thereafter. The man Amaechi a dogged fighter right from his student union days refused to lay low and forfeit his crown and won his case at the highest court in the land and was proclaimed governor of the state by the courts and he took office on 27th October, 2007.
Amaechi who served Odili during his days as Deputy Governor of Rivers State from 1992 to 1994 as a Special Assistant on assuming office immediately set up a Truth and Reconciliation Committee which political analysts alleged was targeted at Odili to witch hunt those who dared to deny him his political rights. The Ikwerre born politician ever since has been engaged in one fight or the other in the state and at the federal level. Amaechi stands out as a clear and classic Machiavellian example as he rules Rivers State straight from a Machiavellian styled rule book with maximum authority. There is virtually nobody Amaechi hasn’t engaged in a dirty conflict with, from the state Police Commissioner to his colleagues at the Nigerian Governors’ Forum where he now heads a faction and to the Presidency. He even fights the wife of the President in an unprecedented show of shame which is unbecoming of a State Chief Executive.
Sokoto: The seat of caliphate was ruled from 1999 to 2007 by Alhaji Attahiru Bafarawa on the platform of the APP. On the expiration of his tenure, a deep political rift ensued between Bafarawa and his Deputy Aliyu Magatakarda Wamakko. The rift led to Wamakko resigning his position in March 2006 and he subsequently was to cross over to the PDP and team up with Muktar Shagari, the son of former President Shehu Shagari and from there made a successful bid for the governorship position. Shagari who had earlier secured the PDP governorship ticket was overruled by the ruling party and asked to run as Deputy under Wamakko. Now a similar scenario is playing out as Wamakko has left the party that brought him to power and crossed over to the ACN, while his estrange deputy opted to stay loyal to the party that brought them to office and will likely fly the governorship flag for the PDP in next year’s gubernatorial elections.
Taraba: At the end of Rev. Dr. Jolly Nyame tenure in 2007 in he had anointed his political son Danladi Baido to take over the mantle of leadership of the state from him. Mr. Baido won the PDP governorship primaries but was later disqualified on corruption allegations. Two months before the elections, the PDP national leadership replaced Baido with Pharm. Danbaba Fulani Suntai who had not even stood for elections in the primaries. Baido later gave his support to Suntai but after the elections relationship has been soured and former governor Nyame is still unhappy that his succession plan didn’t work out according to plan. Now with Suntai having medical issues arising from head injuries he sustained from a plane crash which he piloted himself, it is now looking likely that he may not produce a successor of his choice as Acting Governor Garba Umar seems to be carving out more chunks of power to himself and sideling Suntai’s loyalist in the running of the state.
Yobe: Alhaji Bukar Abba Ibrahim ruled Yobe state from January 1992 to November 1993 on the platform of the Social Democratic Party (SDP), and then at the return of democracy ruled again for two terms of 8 years from 1999 to 2007 on the platform of APP and later ANPP. He successful handed over power to late Senator Mamman Bello Ali while he himself went to the senate to represent Yobe East senatorial district in 2007. Governor Ali ruled for just one year and eight months before he died of leukaemia in a Florida hospital in the United States of America. His Deputy Ibrahim Geidam inherited his throne and has rule ever since winning re-elections in 2011.
Zamfara: Former controversial governor Ahmed Yerima ruled the state from 1999 to 2007 on the platform of APP and later ANPP. He is credited as been the first governor to introduce the sharia laws in a Nigerian state. Yerima was never too far off from controversy as he was accused of marrying a thirteen years old Egyptian bride. He was alleged to have paid a dowry of $100,000 to parents of the girl. As the moment to choose a successor neared, Yerima developed cold feet in endorsing his deputy Mahmud Shinkafi. Before now, Zamfara state was observed as about the only state in the country where there was no rift between the governor and his deputy. It was thought in political circles that Zamfara will break the record and become the first state where the governor will willingly and happily anoint and transfer power to his deputy. But things changed for the better and he broke the record and handed over power to Shinkafi. But signs of a crack in their relationship highlighted when Yerima who crossed over to the senate still had interest in the running of the state and award of contracts. Shinkafi just like a Machiavellian prince stood his ground and insisted on been given a free role to run the affairs of the state and he promptly severed all cordial relationship with Yerima. Not long afterwards the state House of Assembly joined the fray and set up a panel to probe Yerima’s regime and his sale of Zamfara State’s Liaison office in Lagos. The panel recommended the transaction by Yerima’s administration did not follow due process and should be revoked, and the report was adopted by the Assembly in 2008. The peak of the crises came when Gov. Shinkafi decided to cross from the ANPP to PDP in late 2008 and he was officially received to his new party by the late President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua in the state capital Gusau.
Diana-Abasi Udoh is a writer, politician, public affairs analyist, lecturer, and agronomist. He tweets from @dian4real.
The opinions expressed in this article are solely those of the author.
