Ademola Adeyemo
13 January 2009
analysis
Lagos — After 13 years of military regime, Nigeria returned to a democratic country on the 1st of October 1979. The ensuing period of civilian government known as the Second Republic (1979 - 1983) produced 31 civilian governors. Ademola Adeyemo traces the governors during that era and reports that 13 of them are dead while 18 are alive
Nigeria was divided into 19 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT)on February 3rd 1976 by the then military government of late General Murtala Muhammed who was assassinated on February 13, 1976.
General Olusegun Obasanjo who took over the government however fulfilled his promise to hand over power to an elected civilian government on October 1, 1979.
He consequently organized a general election which produced Alhaji Shehu Aliyu Shagari as the first executive president and a total of 31 civilians as executive governors who governed the then 19 states of the country during the second republic. Nigeria which got her independence from Britain in 1960 had democratic government under the first republic up to January 15, 1966 when that republic was sacked by the military. The country returned to a democratic order after 13 years of military interregnum with the dawn of the Second Republic in 1979.
The democratically elected executive governors during the four years and three months republic included, Alhaji Abubakar Barde and Alhaji Bamanga Tukur (Gongola State), Alhaji Tatari Ali (Bauchi), Mr. Aper Aku (Benue), Alhaji Muhammed Goni and Alhaji Asheik Jarma (Borno), Dr. Clement Isong and Chief Donald Etiebet (Cross River), Professor Ambrose Alli and Dr. Samuel Ogbemudia (Edo), Chiefs Jim Nwobodo and Christain Onoh (Anambra), Chief Samuel Onunaka Mbakwe (Imo), Alhaji Abdulkadir Balarabe Musa, Alhaji Abba Rimi and Alhaji Lawal Kaita (Kaduna).
Others are Alhaji Abubakar Rimi, Abdu Dawakin Tofa and Alhaji Sabo Bakin Zuwo(Kano), Alhaji Adamu Atta and Chief Cornelius Olatunji Adebayo (Kwara), Alhaji Lateef Kayode Jakande (Lagos), Alhaji Muhammed Anwal Ibrahim (Niger), Chief Bisi Onabanjo (Ogun), Chief Michael Adekunle Ajasin (Ondo), Chief Bola Ige and Dr. Omololu Olunloyo (Oyo), Chief Solomon Daushep Lar (Plateau),Chief Melford Obiene Okilo (Rivers), Alhaji Shehu Kangiwa and Alhaji Garba Nadama (Sokoto).
However, out of the civilians who served as governors during the period 13 are dead while 18 are alive. The deceased are Abubakar Barde, Tatari Ali, Aper Aku, Clement Isong, Ambrose Ali, Samuel Mbakwe, Sabo Bakin Zuwo, Adamu Atta, Bisi Onabanjo, Michael Adekunle Ajasin, Bola Ige, Melford Okilo and Shehu Kangiwa.
Late Alhaji Abubakar Barde (Gongola)
Gongola State was created on 3 February 1976 with Yola as its capital. It existed until 27 August 1991, when it was divided into two states Adamawa and Taraba. Alhaji Abubakar Barde of the Great Nigeria Peoples Party (GNPP) became the first executive governor of the state after winning the gubernatorial election, courtesy of the understanding reached by the re-alignment of political forces in the state. He was in power between 1979- September 1983. Alhaji Barde died in June, 2002
Alhaji Bamanga Tukur (Gongola)
Alhaji Bamanga Tukur who contested the governorship under the umbrella of National Party of Nigeria (NPN) took over from the late Abubakar Barde in 1983 and was in power for three months when the military took over power in a coup de tat of December 31st 1983. Tukur, a prominent businessman and politician, later served as Minister for Industries during the administration of late General Sani Abacha. He also contested the presidential election under the National Republican Convention (NRC) in the third republic, He is the president of the Africa Business Roundtable and a member of the New Partnership For African Development (NEPAD). Also, Tukur is currently the chairman of the Police Equipment Foundation (PEF). He is a top member of PDP from Adamawa State .
Late Alhaji Abubakar Tatari Ali (Bauchi)
Bauchi State was created in 1976 and on October 1, 1979, the first democratically elected executive governor, Alhaji Abubakar Tatari Ali took over the leadership of the toddling state under the umbrella of the defunct National Party of Nigeria(NPN). Many of the late Tatari's policies began to manifest before the military coup of December 1983, which put paid to whatever dreams Alhaji Ali had for the old state which comprised today of Bauchi and Gombe states. When the military took over in 1983, Alhaji Ali and some of his colleagues were clamped into detention. He later died of health complication shortly after his release from jail.? ?Late Aper Aku (Benue)
Late Mr. Aper Aku was the first executive governor of Benue State between October 1979 and December 1983. He was elected under the NPN. Aku was regarded as the father of modern Benue who laid the foundation and structures that successive governors after his demise have improved upon to get the state to its present level of development. However, Aku died in 1989.
Alhaji Muhammed Goni (Borno)
Alhaji Muhammed Goni the governor of Borno State during the era, in office from October 1979 until December 31st 1983 when the military struck. Goni was said to have left a legacy of hard work, honesty, humility and accountability in the state. Throughout his tenure as governor, he never lost sight of his philosophy of government which was justice to the people. After his tenure as governor, Goni was appointed as a member of the Constitutional Drafting Committee of the 1995 Constitution. He was also appointed as member of the National Political Reform Conference in July 2005 as a delegate from Borno State . He also served as the Vice presidential candidate to Chief Jim Nwobodo in 2003 under the United Nigeria Peoples Party (UNPP). He is present inactive politically.
Late Dr. Clement Isong (Cross River)
Late Dr. Clement Nyong Isong a great economist became the first executive governor of old Cross River State in 1979 under the umbrella of the NPN. Before his election, late Isong was the second Nigerian Governor of Central Bank of Nigeria from August 15, 1967 to September 22, 1975 during which he introduced a new organizational structure for the bank which took account not only of the existing complexity and volume of the CBN's activities, but also of prospective expansion. Isong died in year 2000.
Chief Donald Dick Etiebet (Cross River )
Chief Donald Dick Etiebet was governor of Cross River State for three months between October 1983 and December 31, 1983. He succeeded late Dr. Clement Isong. Before his election under the umbrella of NPN, Etiebet, an Annang man, was among the 95 senators who served in the first Senate of Second Republic between 1979 and October 1983. Politically, he is presently in the background.
Late Professor Ambrose Folorunso Alli (Bendel)
Professor Ambrose Alli was elected the governor of the then Bendel State now Edo and Delta states in 1979 under the platform of the Unity Party of Nigeria founded by the late sage, Chief Obafemi Awolowo.
Late Alli was one of the most vibrant governors in the Second Republic. It would be recalled that during his tenure in office, he was in constant conflict with former President Shehu Shagari over the issue of the rule of law and constitutionalism. On several occasions, the late governor took Shagari to court. On one such occasion, a judgment by Supreme Court in a suit filed by Ambrose Alli held up the implementation of the national budget. His health deteriorated after his release from military incarceration and he died in 1988. Ambrose Alli University formerly Bendel State University , which he established during his tenure, was named after him.
Dr. Samuel Ogbemudia (Bendel)
Dr. Samuel Ogbemudia became the governor of Bendel State for the second time under the umbrella of NPN in October, 1983. His first time was as a military governor from September 1967 to July 1975. During his first coming, the then Bendel State witnessed rapid social and economic growth. He is currently a member of Board of Trustees of the PDP representing Edo State .
Chief Jim Ifeanyichukwu Nwobodo (Anambra)
Chief Jim Ifeanyichukwu Nwobodo became the governor of Anambra State in October, 1979 under the platform of the Nigeria Peoples Party (NPP) founded by the late great nationalist, Dr. Nnamidi Azikiwe. Nwobodo, one of the flamboyant governors of the second republic became the first Executive governor of Anambra State at the age of 39. Before then, he became the Chairman of Rangers International Club in 1975, and held that position until 1979. Within one year as Club Chairman he propelled Rangers to capture the Africa Cup Winners' Cup. After leaving office in 1983 as governor, he was later appointed as a Minister of Youths and Sports in 1995. He was also in 1999 elected Senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria where he served till 2003. He was the presidential candidate for the UNPP in the 2003 General elections. He is presently a stalwart of PDP in Enugu State .
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