WHERE ARE THIRD REPUBLIC GOVERNORS?

WHERE ARE THIRD REPUBLIC GOVERNORS?

Nine years after the collapse of the 2nd Republic, the military government of General Ibrahim Babangida, in what was described as a transition to civil rule programme, succeeded in conducting elections for governorship seats in the then 30 states of the federation.

The elections which held in 1991, culminated on the verge of electing a president for what is now referred to as the Third Republic, after having put in place the executive and legislative arms of government at the three tiers of government.

With the National Assembly comprising the Senate and House of Representatives fully in place with the complements of 30 state governors and their legislature, the final process which would have seen to the election of a president and his deputy was truncated when the results of the June 12, 1993 presidential elections were annulled by the military government.

By then the 30 state governors had served for nearly two years, but had to go when Gen Sani Abacha took over from the Interim National Government led by Chief Ernest Shonekan and sacked the entire democratic process replacing the state governors with military administrators.

The manner through which their administrations were disrupted did not leave room for proper hand over or to connect with their people as they were not sure of their fate when the head of military formations or police commands were asked to take over from them pending the appointment of administrators.

An analyst said many of them feared that the fate that befall their predecessors, the 2nd Republic governors, who were arrested and subsequently put behind bars for long periods might happen to them, hence fled or kept low profiles for a while.

“You know, they were not sure what would happen to them so they had to scamper to safety before anything else,” he stated

After a while, when the haze cleared, some of them returned to prominence and even continued actively in politics while some returned to their previous businesses.

The period they were in office, January 1992 to November 1993, was, however, enough to provide a glimpse into their styles of administration. Some were accused of awarding contracts to their children, some had running battles with their godfathers and state Houses of Assembly, while some were known to take over the political structures in their states.

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Some recall how heated the process of their elections was and the peculiarities guiding it leading to what became popularly known as ‘protest votes.’

At least three of the governors of that era came into office through that process. They were; Sir Micheal Otedola of Lagos, Kabiru Gaya of Kano and Saleh Michika of Adamawa.

This, according to a political observer involved asking party supporters to vote for opponents of their parties in protest due to the exclusion of those believed to be the preferred from the general elections.

In Lagos, it was attributed to the fight between two Social Democratic Party (SDP) aspirants, Dapo Sarumj and Femi Agbalajobi, while in Adamawa, the unresolved contestation between Atiku Abubakar and Bala Takaya of the SDP, which led to their ban, threw up the NRC candidate, Saleh Michika, while in Kano, it was believed that Abubakar Rimi, who had an overwhelming influence in the politics of the state fell out with the SDP candidate, Engr Magaji Abdullahi.

The two existing parties then, the NRC and SDP, on which platforms all the governors contested won 13 and 17 states respectively.

At that time, the six states of Ekiti, Ebonyi, Nasarawa, Zamfara, Bayelsa and Gombe, were yet to be created.

Four of the governors of that era, Bukar Abba Ibrahim, Jolly Nyame, Segun Osoba and Prince Abubakar Audu went ahead and contested the 1999 elections and won which saw them returning to their former positions.

Isiaka Adeleke of Osun, though remained politically active, did not return to the Osun Government House like the rest of his colleagues but won a seat to the Senate and was highly influential in the politics of the state until he died in 2017.

Then Plateau State governor, Sir Fidelis Tapgun, also continued on the political turf and was director general of the Obasanjo/Atiku campaign organisation, ambassador, minister and even expressed interest in contesting the governorship seat again in 2015.

Shaba Lafiagi also tried to return to the Kwara Government House but was not successful.

Kabiru Gaya of Kano was in the Senate for consecutive times but lost the contest at the last election.

But Abubakar Musa of Kebbi, after leaving power left politics completely and has been living a quiet life in his state.

The oldest among the set of governors then was Sir Micheal Otedola, who became governor at the age of 65, then Kolapo Ishola of Oyo, who was 58, Saidu Barda of Katsina, who was 55 and Ada George, who was 52.

Some of the youngest were; Saad Birnin Kudu, who was governor of Jigawa at the age of 32 and Maina Ma’aji Lawal, who was of Borno State at 38. Birnin Kudu is said to be the youngest governor ever in a democratic dispensation.

Out of the 30, more than half the number have passed away.

Those who have passed away are; Dahiru Mohammed, Bauchi; Inuwa Musa, Niger; Moses Adasu, Benue; Abubakar Audu, Kogi; Saleh Michika, Adamawa; Yahaya Abdulkarim, Sokoto; Sir Micheal Otedola, Lagos; Mohammed Dabo Lere, Kaduna; Bamidele Olumilua, Ondo; Akpan Isemin, Akwa Ibom; Felix Ibru, Delta; Kolapo Olawuyi Ishola, Oyo;
Chukwuemeka Ezeife, Anambra; Ogbonnaya Onu, Abia; Bukar Abba Ibrahim, Yobe; Isiaka Adeleke, Osun and Evan Enwerem, Imo.

Most of those around are in their 70s and 80s and are quietly retiring from business and politics due to age. They are; Jolly Nyame, Taraba; Fidelis Tapgun, Plateau; Olusegun Osoba, Ogun; John Odigie Oyegun; Edo; Okwesilieze Nwodo, Enugu; Maina Maaji Lawan, Borno; Ali Sa’ad Birnin Kudu, Jigawa; Abubakar Musa, Kebbi; Shaba Lafiagi, Kwara; Rufus Ada George, Rivers; Kabiru Gaya, Kano; Clement Ebri, Cross River and Saidu Barda, Katsina.

Searches by our correspondents have revealed that some of them are playing advisory roles to the current set of leaders in the country.

Osoba is believed to be one of pillars behind the Tinubu administration as the president is said to defer to him as an elder who got into politics before him.

Our correspondents who went in search of the former governors found out more interesting things about them.

Maina Ma’aji Lawan

After leaving the Borno Government House in 1993, Lawan continued in politics and was elected three times as Senator representing the people of Borno North Senatorial District.

His last election was in 2011, after which he declined to contest and continued with his business and farming life.

Sources close to the former governor say he has been into agricultural, processing and real estate business since the1980s, especially in Abuja where most part of his investments are located.

Maina is now a respected stakeholder in the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Borno, whose views are sought on major issues concerning the party in the state. He was part of those who endorsed and supported the second term ambition of Governor Babagana Zulum, it was gathered.

His last political outing was when he followed the campaign train of Governor Babagana Zulum to northern Borno, where he has many followers.

His last public outing is believed to be on June 17, at the wedding fatiha of his son, Karta Maina Ma’aji Lawan and his bride, Dr Zainab Abubakar Bello, at the Annoor Jumuat Mosque, Abuja.

Lawan was the managing director of Madison Nigeria Limited (1982-1991), chairman and CEO of Comodex Ltd (1995 to date), Chairman CEO KBB Engineering Ltd 1999 to date and Chairman CEO of Dansarki Farms Ltd, a multifaceted farm located at Kuje, Abuja.

Senator Lawan is also into real estate, commerce and very passionate about farming, being a large-scale commercial livestock farmer with extensive interests in cattle, poultry and fisheries.

Saidu Barda

Born on February 6, 1937, in Katsina, the former governor began his educational journey at the Katsina Central Elementary School and later attended the renowned Barewa College, Zaria. He furthered his training with various local and international qualifications, including diplomas from the London School of Economics and the University of Oslo.

Barda’s civil service career spanned over three decades, during which he held numerous key positions across Northern Nigeria and at the federal level. These included Permanent Secretary roles in multiple ministries and Director General of the Federal Ministry of Transport. He voluntarily retired in 1990 before venturing into politics.

In 1991, he emerged as the gubernatorial candidate of the National Republican Convention (NRC) and won the election to become the first civilian Governor of Katsina State. He served from January 1992 until the military takeover in November 1993.

Following his exit from public office, Alhaji Saidu remained an active national figure. He was appointed to the Vision 2020 Committee, served as Vice Chairman and later Deputy Chairman of the Arewa Consultative Forum (2002–2014), and participated as a delegate at the National Conferences of 2005 and 2014.

A passionate advocate for education and community development, he founded the Saidu Barda Foundation in 2005 and established the Barda International College in 2006, serving as chairman of its Governing Board. In recognition of his service, he was awarded the national honour of Commander of the Order of the Niger (CON) in 2011.

In May 25, 2024, Umaru Musa ‘Yar’adua University conferred an honorary degree on Alhaji Saidu in recognition of his decades-long service to Nigeria in public administration, politics, education, and national development.

Sources close to him confirmed that he is currently in London and he was said to be among those who visited late former president Muhammadu Buhari, while he was receiving medical treatment in London.

He is married with children and grandchildren. He enjoys reading, lawn tennis, and walking

Rufus Ada George

Chief Rufus Ada George, the third republic governor and the second elected governor of Rivers State, is currently, not too active in partisan politics, but he has been playing advisory role to governors of the state.

George, who marked his 85th birthday anniversary on July 11, 2025, was sworn in as the governor of Rivers State in January of 1992 and held office till November,1993.

The politician, who hails from Okrika, was born on July 11, 1940, and was still active in politics upon the return of democracy in 1999, when he became the leader of All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP) in the state.

Presently, he is the Chairman of Rivers Elders and Leaders Forum, a group that advocates for good governance in the state.

Ada George is a professional Accountant and fellow, Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (I CAN).

During the recent misunderstanding between the suspended Rivers State governor and his godfather, Chief Nyesom Wike, Ada George was among the former leaders in the state who condemned the move by the House of Assembly loyal to Wike to impeach Governor Fubara.

He also opposed the declaration of state of emergency in Rivers State by President Bola Tinubu.

In March this year, Chief Ada George, though now old, attended a forum organised by the Ijaw National Council (INC) at the Ijaw House in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State.

Also in March, the former governor was seen in his hometown in Okrika, paying respects to his deceased older brother.

Jolly Nyame

Since his release from the Kuje correctional centre last year, Jolly Nyame, the former civilian governor of Taraba State, has been living in Jalingo, the state capital and partly in his home town of Zing, about 70 kilometres away from Jalingo.

Nyame, sources say, is observing a low-profile lifestyle, but still in politics as he always attends key political gatherings within and outside the state.

He also occasionally receives supporters who visit him at his hilltop residence in Jalingo and his residence in his hometown, Zing.

Though, he is said to be in the APC, he is said to be very close to Taraba State Governor, Agbu Kefas as well Retired General Theophilus Danjuma.

He was recently appointed chairman of a committee set up by Governor Kefas to acquire houses located close to the Government House, Jalingo, and build modern structures which he declined.

Nyame was first elected as the first executive governor of Taraba State under the platform of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) from 1992 to 1993.

He was elected again as the executive governor of Taraba State in1999 under the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party ( PDP) and served for two terms,

He, however, contested for a seat in the Senate, but lost to late Hajiya Aisha Jummai Alhassan. Regarded as the father of Taraba politics ‘Baban Taraba’, the former governor handed over power to late governor Danbaba Suntai, but soon after, the relationship between the duo turned sour. Sources said Nyame may be nursing an ambition for the Senate.

Kabiru Ibrahim Gaya

Alhaji Kabiru Ibrahim Gaya is an architect and a politician that began his political career in the second republic; he was a member of the National Party of Nigeria (NPN). He later joined the National Republican Convention (NRC) and contested the seat of Kano state governor. Ironically, he won when all political indicators of victory were pointing to the opposite direction of his party. He was elected as governor of Kano State in January, 1992, a position he held till November 1993.

However, for ten years, Kabiru Gaya thrived to remain afloat in the state political arena even during the military era. He was a member of the United Nigeria Congress Party (UNCP), he was also in the 2003 gubernatorial seat race under the National Democratic Party (NDP).

In May 2007, Kabiru Gaya contested the seat for the Kano South Senatorial District and won. While in the Senate, he served as a deputy minority whip from 2007 to 2011, he also served in various committees.

Senator Kabiru Gaya’s bid to return to the Senate during the 2023 general elections failed as he lost to Suleiman Abdurrahaman Kawu Sumaila, and ever since he left the red chamber, he has remained largely silent both in the state and the national politics.

Abubakar Musa

Abubakar Musa was the 3rd Republic governor of Kebbi State. He was also a director general of the Nigeria Customs Service during the military era.

The former governor who is from Yauri area of Kebbi State, upon the military takeover of government from the civilian government in 1993 and dissolving the civilian administration in the country, retired to his home town in Yauri.

Since the sack of the civilian administration by the military regime under General Sani Abacha in 1993, the former governor has since embraced farming and he is said to be one of the major rice farmers/ rice producers in Yauri area of the state.

He is not in active politics; has been living a low profile life, restricting his movement and activities to his immediate environment. People in his area said he is more of a technocrat than a politician, that’s why he did not return to politics even when the military government under General Abdulsalam Abubakar lifted the ban on politics in the country.

The former governor was turbaned by the Emir of Yauri as the Garkuwan Yauri and he said to be over 87 years now.

Sha’aba Lafiagi

More than three decades after serving as the civilian governor of Kwara State, during Nigeria’s brief 3rd Republic, Alhaji Mohammed Sha’aba Lafiagi, remains one of the state’s most respected political figures.

His name is not commonly found in headlines these days, but his legacy lingers in the corridors of Kwara’s political history and its contemporary leadership struggles.

At 85, Lafiagi lives quietly, yet his influence continues to echo across party lines and traditional boundaries. Born on February 12, 1940, in Lafiagi, Edu Local Government Area of Kwara State, Sha’aba Lafiagi rose through the ranks of academia and public service.

He earned a degree in Agricultural Economics and later obtained advanced training from the University of Wisconsin, Madison, in the United States.

His professional life before politics was shaped by years of service in the civil service and agricultural institutions, including roles within the Kwara State Ministry of Agriculture and the National Cereals Research Institute in Badeggi.

Lafiagi’s political career came into national focus when he was elected governor of Kwara State under the Social Democratic Party’s banner in January 1992.

Though brief, his stint as governor earned him a reputation for discipline and alignment with the late strongman of Kwara politics, Dr. Olusola Saraki, under whom he gained political mentorship.

In the years that followed, Lafiagi maintained a relatively low profile until he returned to national relevance in 2009, when he was appointed chairman of the National Sugar Development Council under President Umaru Musa Yar’adua. That same year, he chaired the planning committee for the PDP’s Special National Convention, a role that once again thrust him into the inner circle of party politics.

He would later be appointed to the Board of Trustees of the PDP, further solidifying his status as a party elder.

In 2011, Lafiagi was elected to the Senate, representing Kwara North Senatorial District, where he served two terms until 2019. In the Red Chamber, he chaired the Senate Committee on National Security and Intelligence and was also a member of the Committee on Land Transport.

His time in the Senate marked him out as one of the few politicians from Kwara North who managed to maintain consistent relevance in Abuja, especially in matters relating to national security and regional development.

Among several others, his major senatorial project was his facilitation of the Lafiagi Water Works as part of his constituency project, aimed at improving access to potable water in his constituency.

Despite his efforts, including personal funding of the fuelling of the generator to ensure the pumping for water up to the year 2020, the project suffered neglect sparking public outcry. Some residents openly expressed disappointment, directly linking the failed water scheme to the senator’s legacy.

After bowing out of the Senate in 2019, Lafiagi made an unsuccessful attempt to clinch the PDP governorship ticket but lost the primary to Razak Atunwa, a former speaker of the Kwara State House of Assembly.

Since then, he has not held any public office, elected or appointed. Yet, his name continued to pop up in internal party consultations and traditional political calculations within Kwara State.

In 2021, the elder statesman made headlines again. This time around not in politics but in the traditional sphere. Following the death of Emir Sa’adu Kawu Haliru of Lafiagi, the former governor joined a crowded race to succeed the late monarch.

Lafiagi was one of over 25 aspirants, including two of his sons and reportedly refused to step down from the race. His interest in the stool, according to insiders, dated back decades which he regarded as “a lifelong ambition”.

He was said to have once vied for the same throne in 1975, but was edged out due to political manoeuvring.

However, his last attempt was also unsuccessful following the appointment of Alhaji Mohammed Kudu Kawu as the 14th Emir of Lafiagi by the Kwara State government, ending months of high wire politics, suspense and lobbying. He is thus recognised as a technocrat, politician, elder statesman, and traditional stool aspirant.

Lafiagi has reportedly relocated to Abuja with his family, according to insiders. His last visit home, it was learnt, was during the 2024 Eid celebration. But he remains a revered voice in Kwara’s political landscape.

Within the PDP, he remains Dr Bukola Saraki’s right hand man and his counsel is still sought in critical decisions, especially those concerning the North Senatorial District. Though, largely out of the public eye, his experience and stature continue to shape internal discussions on power shifts, party cohesion, and regional representation.

In Kwara State, where politicians have witnessed contrasting political fortunes, Lafiagi has managed to stay relevant for over four decades, though not as popular as before.

Some of his supporters and kinsmen describe him as a man of service, loyal to the Saraki structure, with deep roots in both political and traditional institutions. When contacted, Lafiagi declined comment.

But a former chairman of his local government in Edu, Aliyu Labasa, described him thus: “He is still in the PDP, but has aged. He was really interested in becoming the Emir of Lafiagi then, being from the royal family, but despite his strong interest, he did not get it and has remained an elder statesman in the community.

“To describe him, there has not been a leader like that in Kwara North because, minus him, hardly can you pinpoint a person that has really empowered the people from Kwara North and beyond. He is a man that has a mission and is always ready to stand by his people. There is no politician from the district that has his record till now.

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“Any core politician today in the region, if you do a thorough check, you would know that he must have had a hand in their development. He is a father to all of us, especially the young politicians”.

Also, one of his kinsmen, Mr Ahmed Hassan, described him as “one of Kwara north’s political enigma, not only in Edu Local Government Area. Alhaji Sha’aba is not really a flamboyant person which some of his critics misunderstood to mean that he is tightfisted. He seldom visits home now”.

John Odigie-Oyegun

John Odigie-Oyegun, after exiting the civil service, joined politics and became the first executive governor of Edo State under the Social Democratic party (SDP) between 1992 and 1993.

He later joined the National Democratic Coalition (NADECO), which resisted the military administration of General Ibrahim Babangida, when he annulled June 12, 1993 and had to go exile in London, to evade arrest.

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Chief Oyegun, on returning from exile resumed his political activism and later became a leader of the All Nigeria People’s Party (ANPP) which metamorphosed into the Action Congress.

In 2014, Chief Oyegum joined a coalition group to form the All Progressives Congress (APC) and became the pioneer national chairman of the party on which platform late president Muhammadu Buhari emerged as Nigeria’s leader.

Currently, Chief Oyegun is still in active politics and like in 2015, he has also joined a coalition with the former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, former Kaduna State governor, Mal. Nasir El-Rufai, Senator David Mark, former governor Rotimi Amachi, former governor Rauf Aregbesola, among others to form the African Democratic Party (ADC), with a mission to defeat the incumbent president Bola Tinubu and the APC.

Fidelis Tapgun

Since leaving office as the governor of Plateau State, Fidelis Tapgun has actively participated in politics of the state. He has also held national positions, among other engagements.

He has been a member of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) and has acted as a statesman and a guide.

Despite being a member of the PDP, there were times he has thrown his support behind Damishi Sango in another party to become the Plateau State governor, he (Tapgun) parted ways with the PDP leader in the state, Jonah Jang, But Sango did not win.

In 2015, Tapgun himself contested for the state governorship seat under the platform of the PDP, but lost at the primaries to G.N.S. Pwajok, after he was earlier disowned by the party prior to the election.

Recall however that Amb. Fidelis Tapgun, is a graduate of Political Science (1974) from the Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria.

Currently, a close source to him said, Tapgun hasn’t really shown much zeal and participatory intensions in current political dispensation, but rather concentrating on his private businesses, and also from property/plaza he is said to own in Jos.

From Ismail Adebayo, Birnin Kebbi; Ibrahim Musa Giginyu, Kano; Bassey Willie, Port Harcourt; Magaji Isa Hunkuyi, Jalingo; Kabir Matazu, Maiduguri; Mumini Abdulkareem, Ilorin; Usman A. Bello, Benin; Tijjani Ibrahim, Katsina; Ali Rabi’u Ali, Dutse; Dickson S. Adama, Jos

Ali Sa’adu Birnin Kudu

Barrister Ali Sa’adu Birnin kudu, the first civilian governor of Jigawa state is often in the state and in a good condition of health.

Our correspondent once cited the former governor in a Jigawa state government programme titled ‘citizen engagement program’ “Gwamnati da Jama’a”.

The former civilian governor usually comes to the government as he is accorded respect as one of the leaders of the state.