Meet the First-Time Governors Sworn in Today

Today May 29, 2019, has our democracy marked 20 uninterrupted years, twelve new governors take the oath of office for the first time today, while 17 others wona  second term in the March 9 elections.

The results of the election indicates that only the two most popular political party, APC and PDP produced governors out of the over 90 political parties that fielded candidates.

The first term governors include:

Bello Mutawalle (PDP, Zamfara)

 Although he came second in the March governorship election in Zamfara, Bello Matawalle has been a key political player both at the federal and state levels for several years. 

The 49-year-old Peoples Democratic Party candidate has been in the political space for at least 20 years, serving as commissioner and member of the House of Representatives..
The March 9 governorship election was his first shot at becoming a governor. He lost out after the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) permitted the All Progressives Congress (APC) to field a candidate barely 24 hours to the day of the election.
The electoral body declared the APC candidate, Muktar Idris, winner of the polls.
The Supreme Court later ruled against the victory of the APC in the state. The court said the APC did not conduct valid primaries in the buildup to the 2019 general elections in Zamfara.
The ruling was in validation of the judgement of the Court of Appeal, Sokoto Division, which ruled that no valid primaries were conducted by the APC in Zamfara State.
The Supreme Court also ruled that the candidate with the second highest number of votes in the election, and who meets the constitutional requirement, should be declared winner of the election – thereby making Mr Matawalle a potential governor-elect of Zamfara.

Mai-Mala Buni (APC, Yobe)

 Mai Mala Buni (born November 11, 1967 in Buni Gari, Yobe, Nigeria) is a Nigerian politician. He is the Governor-elect of Yobe State, Nigeria. He was elected Governor during the 2019 general elections of Nigeria under the All Progressives Congress party.

Engr. Abdullahi Sule (APC, Nasarawa)

 Engineer Abdullahi Sule (born December 26, 1959) is a Nigerian entrepreneur, businessman and politician. He is the Governor-elect of Nasarawa State in the 2019 Governorship election under the platform of the All Progressive Congress (APC).

He joined the Jos Steel Rolling Mill in 1985 as a Production Engineer. Returning to the United States in 1989, he worked for several companies (Lancer Corporation, OEM component and Osyka Corporation among others) before returning to Nigeria in 2000.

On his return to Nigeria, he co-founded Sadiq Petroleum Nigeria Limited in Lagos and was made the Managing Director/CEO. Under his leadership, the company won a bid to acquire African Petroleum (AP) Plc and he became the CEO of AP in 2001.

Prior to his gubernatorial ambition in 2018, he was the Group Managing Director of Dangote Sugar Refinery Plc.

Abdulrazaq AbdulRahman (APC, Kwara)

 Abdul Rahman Abdul Razaq, 58 (born February 5, 1960), is an oil businessman and philanthropist turned politician. He is currently the governorship candidate of Nigeria’s ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) for Kwara State, in North Central Nigeria.

  

Seyi Makinde (PDP, Oyo)

 Oluseyi Abiodun Makinde (born 25 December 1967) is a Nigerian Businessman, Politician and Philanthropist. He is the new governor of Oyo State in South-western Nigeria.

He is an Engineer and a subject matter expert on fluid and Gas Metering. He is the Group Managing Director of Makon Group Limited; an indigenous oil and gas company in Nigeria. He established his first oil and gas private business called Makon Engineering and Technical Services, (METS) at the age of 29 in the year 1997, after earning years of work experience with international oil and gas companies.

  

Dapo Abiodun (APC, Ogun)

 Dapo Abiodun (born 29 May 1960) is a Nigerian businessman and politician, who is the Governor of Ogun State after winning the 2019 general elections under the platform of the All Progressive Congress.

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Dapo Abiodun is the board Chairman of the Corporate Affairs Commission. He is the managing director of Heyden Petroleum and the founder of First Power Limited.

On March 10, 2019, he was declared Governor-Elect of Ogun State by the Independent National Electoral Commission.

Babajide Sanwo-Olu APC, Lagos)

Babajide Olusola Sanwo-Olu (born June 25, 1965) is a Politician from Lagos State and the 2019 Lagos State gubernatorial election candidate for All Progressives Congress who contested and won the gubernatorial primaries under the All Progressives Congress against incumbent governor, Akinwunmi Ambode of Lagos State in October 2018.

He is a graduate of the University of Lagos, as well as the London Business School, Lagos Business School and the John F. Kennedy School of Government. Prior to his gubernatorial ambition, he was the Managing Director/CEO of Lagos State Property Development Commission (LSPDC).

On March 10, 2019, he was declared Governor-Elect of Lagos State by the Independent National Electoral Commission.

Emeka Ihedioha (PDP, Imo)

His Excellency, Rt. Hon Chief Sir Emeka Ihedioha (born on 24 March 1965) is a Nigerian politician and Businessman. He is the Governor Elect of Imo State.

He is a Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) member and represented the Aboh Mbaise/Ngor Okpala Federal Constituency of Imo State.

He is also the former deputy speaker of the House of Representatives of Nigeria. He is a Commander of the Order of the Niger and holds the title CON.

In 2015, he also served a spell as the Speaker of the House of Representatives following the defection of Aminu Tambuwal to the APC. He is presently the Governor-Elect of Imo State, following the 9 March Gubernatorial Election where he emerged victorious under the umbrella of the Peoples Democratic Party.

Inuwa Yahaya (APC, Gombe)

 Alhaji Muhammad Inuwa Yahaya (born October 9, 1961) is a Nigerian businessman and politician. He is the Governor of Gombe State under the platform of the All Progressive Congress (APC).

His first appointment was with the Bauchi State Investment and Property Development (BSIPDC) as an Accountant and later became the Principal Accountant. He joined Nasara Motors Limited, his family business, as an Administration and Finance Manager and later became the Managing Director of Nasara Group of Companies.

In 2003, he was appointed as Commissioner for Finance and Economic Development by Governor Muhammed Danjuma Goje.

Bala Mohammed (PDP, Bauchi)

Bala Abdulkadir Mohammed (born 5 October 1958) was elected Senator for Bauchi South, in Bauchi State in April 2007. He was appointed Minister of FCT (Federal Capital Territory) on 8 April 2010, when Acting President Goodluck Jonathan announced his new cabinet.

He is the Governor-elect of Bauchi State in 2019 suplimentary governorship election under the platform of People’s Democratic Party (PDP).

Prof. Babagana Zulum (APC, Borno)

Prof Zulum won the 2019 Guber Election in Borno to succeed Governor Kashim Shettima who has completed his second term in office.

Prof. Zulum has been described by many as a man who rose from a humble background, having once worked as a peasant farmer and of course a commercial taxi driver.

After his education, he was a University lecturer until 2015, when he was appointed pioneer Commissioner for Ministry of Reconstruction, Rehabilitation and Resettlement by Governor Shettima.

His performance in that ministry earned him an opportunity to run for the highest position in the state.

Umaru Fintiri (PDP, Adamawa)

Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri is the governor elect of Adamawa State. He was a member of the Adamawa State House of Assembly, and was appointed the Speaker of the House. He became the acting Governor of Adamawa State Nigeria, following the impeachment of admiral Murtala Nyako in July 2014, handing later to Bala James Ngilari after serving for three months.

Fintiri won the governorship election of Adamawa State that took place on the 9th of March 2019, however, the election was declared inconclusive because the number of cancelled votes was more than the margin between the winner and his close opponent.

Umaru Fintiri was declared winner of the election after having secured 376,552 votes to defeat incumbent Governor Jibrilla Bindow of the All Progressives Congress (APC) who polled 336,386 votes.