Right from Nigeria’s independence in 1960, the nation has had many Presidents and Head Of States. Numerically, Nigeria has had a total of 15 Heads of States/Presidents. These people have ruled the nation in different times and season. This article focuses on bringing to you the List Of All Nigerian Presidents, State Of Origin & Biography.
As you must have seen above, we have mentioned Head Of State & President. Head Of States refers to all those who led the state as Military rulers under military rule. The only exception was Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe, who was called “Governor-General” immediately after independence till 1963. However, after Nigeria became a Republic, he was called “President”. Meanwhile, the Presidents, in this case, refer to all those democratically elected leaders of the nation.
Notwithstanding these academic differences, we will group and consider all of them as “Presidents” only for the purposes of this article. Therefore, let us look at the List Of All Nigerian Presidents, State Of Origin & Biography.
List Of All Nigerian Presidents, State Of Origin & Biography
Below is the list of all Nigerian Presidents as well as their vices so far.
| S/N | Year | President/Head Of State | State | Vice/Deputy |
| 1 | 1st Oct. 1960 – 16th January 1966 | Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe | Anambra | Sir. Abubakar Tafawa Balewa; (Prime Minister) |
| 2 | 16th Jan. 1966 – 29th July 1966 | Gen J.T.U Aguyi Ironsi |
Abia | Brig. Babafemi Ogundipe (Chief of Staff, Supreme Hq.) |
| 3 | 1st Aug. – 29th July 1975 | Gen. Yakubu Gowon | Plateau | Vice Admiral Joseph Edet AkinwaleWey, (Chief of Staff, Supreme Hq.) |
| 4 | 29th July 1975 – 13th Feb. 1976 | Gen. Murtala Ramat Muhammed |
Plateau | Gen. Olusegun Obasanjo (Chief of Staff, Supreme Hq.) |
| 5 | 5. 13th Feb. 1976 – 1st Oct. 1979 | Gen. Olusegun Obasanjo |
Ogun | Maj. Gen. Shehu Musa Yar’Adua (Chief of Staff, Supreme Hq.) |
| 6 | 6. 1st Oct. 1979 – 31st Dec. 1983 | Alhaji Shehu Shagari |
Sokoto | Dr. Alex Ifeanyichukwu Ekweme |
| 7 | 7. 31st Dec. 1983 – 27th Aug. 1985 | Maj. Gen. Muhammadu Buhari |
Kastina | Brig. Babatunde Idiagbon (Chief of Staff, Supreme Hq.) |
| 8 | 8. 27th Aug. 1985 – 26th Aug. 1993 | Gen. Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida |
Niger | Commodore Ebitu Ukiwe (Chief of General Staff;1985 -1986), Admiral Augustus Aikhomu (Chief of General Staff;1986-1993) |
| 9 | 9. 26th Aug. – 17th Nov. 1993 | Ernest Shonekan (Head of Interim National Government) |
Lagos | |
| 10 | 10. 17th Nov. 1993 – 8th June 1998: | Gen. Sani Abacha | Kano | Lt. Gen. Oladipo Diya (Chief of General Staff) |
| 11 | 8th June 1998 – 29th May 1999 | Gen. Abdulsalami Abubakar |
Niger | Vice Admiral Mike Okhai Akhigbe (Chief of General Staff) |
| 12 | 29th May 1999 – 29th May 2007 | Chief Olusegun Obasanjo |
Ogun | Alhaji Atiku Abubakar |
| 13 | 29th May 2007 – 5th May 2010 | Umaru Musa Yar’Adua | Kastina | Dr. Goodluck Ebele Jonathan |
| 14 | 5th May 2010 – 28th May 2015 | Goodluck Jonathan | Bayelsa | Arc. Namadi Sambo |
| 15 | 29th May2015 – to date | Muhammadu Buhari | Kastina | Prof. Yemi Osinbanjo
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List Of All Nigerian Presidents, State Of Origin & Biography – 1999-2017
Since 1999, 4 different Presidents have ruled the Nigerian state. These people were democratically elected. Let us consider a brief view of them.
- Olusegun Obasanjo
Chief Olusegun Obasanjo was inaugurated on 29th May, 1999. He is from Ogun state. Along with Buhari, he happened to have the privilege of ruling Nigeria as both a Military Head of State (1976-1979) and a Civilian President (1999-2007). He was a soldier before his incursion into politics. From July 2004 to January 2006, Obasanjo also served as Chairperson of the African Union. He was born in 1937 and joined the military in 1958. During the time Sani Abacha (1993–1998), Obasanjo spoke out against the human rights abuses of the regime. Subsequently, he was imprisoned for alleged participation in an aborted coup based on testimony obtained via torture. He was released only after Abacha’s sudden death on 8 June 1998.
Also See: List Of All Nigerian States, Slogans & Natural Resources
- Umaru Musa Yar’Adua
Late Umaru Musa Yar’Adua succeeded Chief Olusegun Obasanjo. He was the governor of Katsina state (1999-2007). Yar’Adua was a graduate of the Ahmadu Bello University. Also, he served as a lecturer at the College of Arts, Science, and Technology in Zaria, Kaduna State, between 1976 and 1979. In 1979 he began working as a lecturer at College of Art Science, remaining in this position until 1983, when he began working in the corporate sector. Unfortunately for him and Nigerians, he died on 5th May, 2010, while in office.
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- Goodluck Jonathan
After Yar’Adua’s death, Goodluck Jonathan being the Vice president was sworn in as the President. Goodluck was born on 20th November 1957. Also, he holds a B.Sc degree in Zoology. Furthermore, he holds an M.Sc degree in Hydrobiology and Fisheries biology and a PhD degree in Zoology from the University of Port Harcourt. Before he entered politics in 1998, he worked as an education inspector, lecturer, and environmental-protection officer. As a politician, Goodluck was a deputy Governor to Diepreye Alamieyeseigha from 1999-2005. When Diepreye Alamieyeseigha was impeached, Jonathan was sworn in as Governor till 2007. He was elected as Vice President alongside Umaru Musa Yar’Adua. After Yar’Adua’s death, Jonathan became the president. In 2015, he became the first incumbent Nigerian President to be defeated in an election.
Also See: All Nigerian States, Capitals, Governors & Slogans
- Muhammadu Buhari
Nigeria’s incumbent President ran for the Presidency from 2003 till 2015 when he finally won. He was a military Head Of State in 1983-1985. Buhari was born in 19$2 in Daura, Kastian state. President Muhammadu Buhari is the 23rd child of his father. He joined the military in 1961. Also, he served as Federal Commissioner for Petroleum and Natural Resources from1976-1978. Currently, owing to his fragile health status, he has been on medical vacation in London.
If you have any comments, questions and contributions on the List Of All Nigerian Presidents, State Of Origin & Biography, feel free to use the comment box below. Thank you.
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