The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on Sunday declared the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate, Lucky Aiyedatiwa, as the winner of the gubernatorial election held on Saturday, 16 November 2024, in Ondo State.
Aiyedatiwa, the incumbent governor, secured his first term as governor through a landslide victory, winning all 18 local government areas in the state.
It is worth recalling that Aiyedatiwa, who served as deputy governor under the late Rotimi Akeredolu until 2023, assumed office following his principal’s demise.
Notably, Aiyedatiwa is not the first former deputy governor to succeed their principal.
In this article, Tribune Online examines other deputy governors who have taken over governorship positions from their principals.
Goodluck Jonathan (Bayelsa State)
Former President Goodluck Jonathan was elected as the deputy governor of Bayelsa State in 1999 to Diepreye Alamieyeseigha. He served in the position until December 2005, when he was sworn in as the governor of the state after his principal was impeached by the State House of Assembly over corruption charges.
Patrick Yakowa (Kaduna State)
Following the emergence of Goodluck Jonathan as the President of Nigeria, he nominated the then-governor of Kaduna State, Namadi Sambo, as his Vice President. This development left the office of the governor of Kaduna vacant, which subsequently resulted in the swearing-in of Yakowa as the state governor on 20 May 2010.
Virginia Etiaba (Anambra State).
Etiaba made history as the first female governor in Nigeria when she took over Anambra State in November 2006 after the impeachment of Peter Obi. However, her tenure was brief, as she returned power to Obi three months later when the impeachment was overturned.
Adebayo Alao-Akala (Oyo State)
Alao-Akala was elected as the deputy governor to Rashidi Ladoja in 2003 and served in the position until January 2006. He took over from his principal after Ladoja was impeached by the State House of Assembly.
However, Ladoja was reinstated to his office in December 2006, but Alao-Akala contested and won against him in the 2007 gubernatorial election in the state.
Bala James Ngilari (Adamawa State)
Ngilari became the Governor of Adamawa State in October 2014 following the impeachment of his principal, Murtala Nyako, by the state legislators over allegations of financial misconduct. Ngilari completed the term and served until May 2015.
Ibrahim Gaidam (Yobe State)
Ibrahim Gaidam became governor of Yobe State following the death of Governor Mamman Bello Ali on 26 January 2009. He had previously served as deputy to Mamman Ali from May 2007 to January 2009. He subsequently contested and won both the 2011 and 2015 gubernatorial elections in the state.
Abdullahi Ganduje (Kano State)
Abdullahi Ganduje served as the deputy governor of Kano State under Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso from 1999 to 2003 and again from 2011 to 2015. He succeeded Kwankwaso as governor in 2015 on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and was re-elected for a second term in 2019.
Umar Namadi (Jigawa State)
The current governor of Jigawa State, Umar Namadi, was elected as the deputy governor of the state from May 2019 to May 2023. He then took over from his principal, Badaru Abubakar, after contesting for the governorship position in 2023 under the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC).
David Umahi (Ebonyi State)
In 2011, Umahi became the Deputy Governor of Ebonyi State, serving alongside then-Governor Martin Elechi. He was elected as Governor on 12 April 2015 on the platform of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP).
Mahmud Shinkafi (Zamfara State)
Shinkafi succeeded his predecessor, former Governor Yerima Sani, in 2007 under the platform of the All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP), following his eight-year tenure as deputy governor from 1999 to 2007. However, after defecting to the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in 2008, he failed to secure re-election in 2011.
Mukhtar Yero (Kaduna State)
Yero is yet another deputy governor who succeeded his principal in Kaduna state. He served as the Governor of Kaduna State from 2012 to 2015, following the death of Governor Patrick Yakowa in a helicopter crash. Prior to that, he was the Deputy Governor from 2010 to 2012.
Lucky Aiyedatiwa (Ondo State)
Most recently, Aiyedatiwa became the substantive Governor of Ondo State following the death of his principal, Rotimi Akeredolu, in December 2023. He subsequently won his first-term election as governor after defeating the candidate of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), Agboola Ajayi, and 15 others in the 16 November 2024 gubernatorial election in the state.
