The day is finally here; the day many Nigerians will witness another change of baton at the executive arm of the Federal Government and in 28 other states across the country. 29th May is here!!!
At the Eagle Square, President Muhammadu Buhari, who returned to power on 29th May 2015 after serving as military leader from 31st December 1983 and 27th August 1985 when he lost power to a coup, will give way to Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) who won the 25th February election.
Tinubu is No. 16 in the list of leaders of the country – civilians and military – since Nigeria’s independence on 1st October 1960. Before Tinubu, there had been:
- Alhaji Abubakar Tafawa Balewa (Prime Minister 1st October 1960 – 15th January 1966)
- Major General Johnson Thomas Umunnakwe Aguiyi-Ironsi (Head of State 16th January 1966 – 29th July 1966)
- General Yakubu Gowon (Head of State 29th January 1966 – 29th July 1966)
- General Murtala Ramat Muhammed (Head of State 29th July 1966 – 13th February 1975)
- General Olusegun Aremu Okikiola Matthew Obasanjo (Head of State 13th February 1975 – 1st October 1979)
- Alhaji Shehu Usman Aliyu Shagari (President 1st October 1979 – 31st December 1983)
- Major General Muhammadu Buhari (Head of State 31st December 1983 – 27th August 1985)
- General Ibrahim Babadamosi Babangida (Head of State (military President) 27th August 1985 – 27th August 1993)
- Chief Ernest Adekunle Oladeinde Shonekan (Interim Head of State 27th August 1993 – 17th November 1993)
- General Sani Abacha (Head of State 17th November 1993 – 8th June 1998)
- General Abdulsalami Alhaji Abubakar (Head of State 9th June 1998 – 29th May 1999)
- Chief Olusegun Aremu Okikiola Matthew Obasanjo (President 29th May 1999 – 29th May 2007)
- Alhaji Umaru Musa Yar-Adua (President 29th May 2007 – 5th May 2010)
- Dr. Goodluck Ebele Jonathan (President 6th May 2007 – 29th May 2015)
- Muhammadu Buhari (President 29th May 2015 – 29th May 2023)
Since Shonekan was only appointed by Babangida to fill the void while leaving office hastily on 27th August 1993, the now Late businessman is not listed among Nigeria’s elected Presidents. Tinubu will therefore be the seventh President to take charge of Nigeria – the fifth since the Fourth Republic.
Before Tinubu goes through the swearing-in rituals, his running mate in the last presidential election, Senator Kashim Shettima will step in as Vice President, to replace Prof. Yemi Osinbajo. Like Tinubu and Shettima, Buhari and Osinbajo were elected in 2015 on the APC platform. Obasanjo, Yar’Adua and Jonathan got into office on the tickets of the Peoples Democratic Party, now the leading opposition party.
Governors in 28 states will also be sworn-in, 10 of them returning to office. They are: Adamawa State (Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri – PDP), Bauchi (Bala Mohammed – PDP), Borno (Babagana Umara Zulum – APC), Gombe (Muhammadu Yahaya – APC), Kwara (AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq – APC), Lagos (Babajide Sanwo-Olu – APC), Nasarawa (Abdullahi Audu Sule – APC), Ogun (Dapo Abiodun – APC), Oyo (Seyi Makinde – PDP) and Yobe (Mai Mala Buni – APC).
Eighteen fresh faces will be assuming the office of Governor. They include: Abia (Alex Otti – Labour Party), Akwa Ibom (Umo Eno – PDP), Benue (Hyacinth Alia – APC), Cross River (Bassey Otu – APC), Delta (Sheriff Oborevwori – PDP), Ebonyi (Francis Nwifuru – APC), Enugu (Peter Mbah – PDP), Jigawa (Umar Namadi – APC) and Kaduna (Uba Sani – APC).
Others are: Kano (Abba Kabir – New Nigeria Peoples Party), Katsina (Dikko Radda – APC), Kebbi (Nasiru Idris – APC), Niger (Umar Bago – APC), Plateau (Caleb Mutfwang – PDP), Rivers (Sim Fubara – PDP), Sokoto (Ahmed Aliyu – APC), Taraba (Kefas Agbu – PDP) and Zamfara (Dauda Lawal – PDP).
The other states – Anambra, Bayelsa, Edo, Ekiti, Imo, Kogi, Ondo and Osun – have offseason elections. Bayelsa, Imo and Kogi States will be having their governorship elections on 11th November.
