List of governors of Bauchi State

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Governor of Bauchi State
BAUCHI state coat.png
Seal of Bauchi State of Nigeria
Incumbent
Bala Mohammed
since 29 May 2019
Government of Bauchi State
Style
Type Head of state
Head of government
Reports to President of Nigeria
Seat Bauchi
Appointer Popular vote [1]
Term length Four years, renewable once consecutively [1]
Constituting instrument Constitution of Nigeria
Formation3 February 1976
Location of Bauchi State in Nigeria Nigeria Bauchi State map.png
Location of Bauchi State in Nigeria

Bauchi State, located in the North East geopolitical zone of Nigeria, has experienced various forms of leadership since Nigeria's independence in 1960, including both military and civilian administrations. At the time of independence, the territory now known as Bauchi State was part of the Northern Region. In the state reorganization of 1967, the Northern Region was divided into six states, and the area comprising present-day Bauchi became part of the North-Eastern State. The first military governor of the newly created Northeastern state was Brigadier Musa Usman, who was replaced in 1975 by Muhammadu Buhari. Bauchi State was created out of the Northeastern state in 1976, and Colonel Mohammed Bello Kaliel was the first military governor from 1976 to 1978. He was succeeded by another military administrator, Garba Duba, during the continued military regimes.

Contents

In 1979, Abubakar Tatari Ali became the first elected civilian governor of Bauchi State, serving under the National Party of Nigeria (NPN). His administration was cut short in 1983 by a military coup, after which various military governors took charge, including Chris Abutu Garuba, Joshua Madaki and Abu Ali. Between 1992 and 1993, there was a brief democratic government led by Dahiru Mohammed of the National Republican Convention (NRC), which was later overthrown by James Kalau, an administrator appointed by the General Sani Abacha Government. Hence, military administrators ruled Bauchi State from 1993 up to 1999.

In 1999, Ahmadu Adamu Mu'azu was elected as the civilian governor of Bauchi State and served two terms from 1999 to 2007 under the People's Democratic Party (PDP). In 2015, Mohammed Abdullahi Abubakar of the All Progressives Congress (APC) became governor and served until 2019. Bala Mohammed of the PDP took office in 2019 and was re-elected in 2023 for a second term. He currently serves as the incumbent governor of Bauchi State.

List of governors

Northern Region

At the time of Nigeria's independence in 1960, the country was divided into three regions: the Northern Region, the Western Region, and the Eastern Region. [2] Sir Ahmadu Bello served as the first Premier of the Northern Region under the Northern People's Congress (NPC). [3] [4] Ahmadu Bello was assassinated in the 1966 during the first Nigeria military coup organised by General Aguiyi Ironsi. [5] [6] Also, Major General Johnson Aguiyi-Ironsi was assassinated in July 1966 counter-coup, and Lieutenant Colonel Yakubu Gowon became the Head of State. [7] He abolished the existing regional structure in May 1967 and created twelve new states from the former regions. One of these newly created states was the North-Eastern State. [7] [2]

North-Eastern State

The first Military governor of the North-Eastern State was Brigadier Musa Usman, who was appointed by General Yakubu Gowon following the creation of the state in 1967. [8] He administered the state from 1967 until 1975. After the bloodless coup of 29 July 1975, which removed Gowon from power and brought General Murtala Muhammad to office, Musa Usman was replaced by Colonel Muhammadu Buhari [8] [9] Buhari served as the military administrator of the North-Eastern State until February 1976, when Murtala Muhammad was assassinated in a failed coup led by Lieutenant Colonel Bukar Suka Dimka. [10]

Military administrators of North-Eastern State
PortraitNameTitleTerm in officeNotes
Brig. Musa Usman.png Musa Usman
(1940–1991) [8] 		Military governorMay 1967
–
July 1975 [8] 		The first military governor after the July 1967 Coup [8]
Nigerian Public Domain 144.jpg Muhammadu Buhari
(1942–2025) [11] 		Military governorJuly 1975
–
February 1976 [11] 		The last military governor of the Northeastern region [11]

Bauchi State

In 1976, under the military administration of General Murtala Muhammed, the former North-Eastern State was subdivided into three new states: Bauchi, Borno, and Gongola. [12] [13]

Bauchi state officially came into existence on 3 February 1976. [7] The state's first military governor was Brigadier General Mohammad Bello Khaliel, who assumed office in March 1976, succeeding Colonel Muhammadu Buhari, the last military administrator of the North-Eastern State. Khaliel served until July 1978, after which Colonel Garba Duba was appointed and served as governor until October 1979, during the military regime of General Olusegun Obasanjo. [14]

In 1979, Abubakar Tatari Ali was elected as the governor of Bauchi State under National Party of Nigeria and his tenure lasted till 1983. [15] [16] From 1984 to 1985, Colonel Mohammed Sani Sami served as the military governor of the state. [17] Abu Ali, a military governor, was appointed in 1990 and handed over to a democratic governor in 1992. [18] [19] Bauchi State was under the democratic rule of Dahiru Mohammed for just a year before power was handed over to another military governor in 1993. [19] From 1993 to 1999, Bauchi State was under military rule, with a series of appointed administrators: James Kalau (1993–1994), [20] Rasheed Adisa Raji (1994–1996), [21] Theophilus Bamigboye (1996–1998), and Abdul Mshelia. [22] [23]

In 1999, Ahmad Adamu Mu'azu of the People's Democratic Party (PDP) served as governor till 2007. [24] He was succeeded by Isa Yuguda, initially elected under the All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP) in 2007, but who officially decamped to the PDP in June 2009. [25] [26] Yuguda served two terms until 2015, when Mohammed Abdullahi Abubakar of the All Progressives Congress (APC) took office. In 2019, Bala Mohammed of the PDP was elected governor and remains the incumbent as of 2025. [27]

Heads of the government of Bauchi State
PortraitNameTerm in officePolitical party
Colonel Mohammed Bello Kaliel.jpg Mohammed Bello Kaliel [14] March 1976
–
July 1978 [14] 		Military governor
Garba Duba.jpg Garba Duba [28] July 1978
–
October 1979 [28] 		Military governor
Photo of Alhaji Abubakar Tatari Ali.jpg Abubakar Tatari Ali [15] October 1979
–
December 1983 [15] 		NPN [14]  
— Mohammed Sani Sami [17] January 1984
–
August 1985 [17] 		Military governor
— Chris Abutu Garuba [14] August 1985
–
December 1987 [14] 		Military governor
— Joshua Madaki [29] December 1987
–
August 1990 [29] 		Military governor
— Abu Ali [18] August 1990
–
January 1992 [18] 		Military governor
— Dahiru Mohammed [19] January 1992
–
November 1993 [19] 		NRC [19]  
Rasheed Adisa Raji.jpg Rasheed Adisa Raji [30] 9 December 1993
–
14 September 1994 [30] 		Military administrator
— James Kalau [20] 14 September 1994
–
22 August 1996 [20] 		Military administrator
— Theophilus Bamigboye [31] 22 August 1996
–
August 1998 [23] 		Military administrator
— Abdul Mshelia [22] August 1998
–
May 1999 [22] 		Military administrator
— Ahmad Adamu Mu'azu [24] 29 May 1999
–
29 May 2007 [24] 		PDP [24]  
— Isa Yuguda [25] 29 May 2007
–
29 May 2015 [25] [26] 		ANPP  
PDP [a]  
Muhammed Abubakar.png Mohammed Abdullahi Abubakar [27] 29 May 2015
–
29 May 2019 [27] 		APC [27]  
— Bala Mohammed [27] 29 May 2019
–
Incumbent [27] 		PDP [27]  

See also

Explanatory notes

  1. ↑ Yuguda defected to the PDP on 27 June 2009. [26]

References

  1. 1 2 Article VI, Section II, Constitution of Nigeria, 1999
  2. 1 2 Oyedokun, Taofeek (10 February 2025). "From three to 36: Evolution of state creation in Nigeria". Business Day . Archived from the original on 6 April 2025. Retrieved 6 April 2025.
  3. ↑ Okafor, Chiamaka (8 June 2023). "From Balewa To Tinubu: Historical guide on Nigeria's 16 leaders since independence". Premium Times . Archived from the original on 23 August 2025. Retrieved 21 August 2025.
  4. ↑ Dare, Babarinsa (3 February 2022). "Power is not a faithful mistress". The Guardian . Archived from the original on 23 August 2025. Retrieved 21 August 2025.
  5. ↑ Tishken, Joel E.; Falola, Toyin (1998). "Violence in Nigeria: The Crisis of Religious Politics and Secular Ideologies" . African Economic History (26): 208. doi:10.2307/3601699. JSTOR   3601699. Archived from the original on 23 August 2025. Retrieved 21 August 2025.
  6. ↑ Olomojobi, Yinka (2010). Explaining the Dynamics of Islam and Conflict: The Case of Northern Nigeria (PhD thesis). Lancaster, United Kingdom: Lancaster University. pp. 137–138. Retrieved 21 August 2025.
  7. 1 2 3 Ota, Ejitu; Ecoma, Chinyere; Wambu, Godwin (2020). "Creation of States in Nigeria, 1967-1996: Deconstructing the History and Politics" (PDF). American Research Journal of Humanities and Social Sciences. 6 (1): 2. ISSN   2378-7031. Archived (PDF) from the original on 1 November 2024. Retrieved 6 April 2025.
  8. 1 2 3 4 5 Teniola, Eric (10 September 2022). "Kanuris fly their flag again". The Punch . Archived from the original on 1 May 2023. Retrieved 22 August 2025..
  9. ↑ Teniola, Eric (6 July 2025). "50 years of Gowon's overthrow". The Punch . Archived from the original on 1 September 2025. Retrieved 22 August 2025.
  10. ↑ "Nigeria Arrests Leader of Coup". The New York Times . 7 March 1976. ISSN   0362-4331. Archived from the original on 16 July 2019. Retrieved 6 April 2025.
  11. 1 2 3 Okere, Alexander (13 July 2025). "Updated: Former President Muhammadu Buhari Dies At 82". Channels Television . Archived from the original on 22 August 2025. Retrieved 21 August 2025.
  12. ↑ Hassan, Gimba (23 January 2022). "The north-east: Which way forward?". TheCable . Archived from the original on 25 August 2025. Retrieved 20 August 2025.
  13. ↑ Tahir, Tahir Ibrahim (18 February 2025). "Bauchi state's forgotten forefathers". Blueprint . Archived from the original on 4 September 2025. Retrieved 21 August 2025.
  14. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Idachaba, Eleojo (30 September 2022). "Garba Duba, Bongos Ikwue: Where are they now?". Blueprint . Archived from the original on 6 April 2025. Retrieved 6 April 2025.
  15. 1 2 3 Kawule liman, Ibrahim (29 May 2018). "Remembering Tatari Ali". Daily Trust . Archived from the original on 7 April 2025. Retrieved 7 April 2025.
  16. ↑ Owete, Festus. "Solomon Lar's death depletes rank of Nigeria's Second Republic Governors". Premium Times . Archived from the original on 8 September 2025. Retrieved 7 April 2025.
  17. 1 2 3 Oluwafemi, Ayodele (17 August 2025). "Emir of Zuru dies in London after 'brief illness'". TheCable . Archived from the original on 17 August 2025. Retrieved 20 August 2025.
  18. 1 2 3 TheCable (5 November 2016). "Obituary: Col. Abu Ali, the Boko Haram nemesis who paid the supreme price for fatherland". TheCable . Retrieved 17 October 2025.
  19. 1 2 3 4 5 Adeyemo, Ademola. "Nigeria: Sixteen Years After - Where Are Babangida's Civilian Governors?". This Day . Archived from the original on 12 October 2012. Retrieved 17 October 2025.
  20. 1 2 3 Kalau, James Yana (1994). 100 days of dynamic leadership. Bauchi State of Nigeria. OCLC   33667145.,
  21. ↑ "allAfrica.com: Nigeria: Ex-administrator Joins Politics, Declares for PDP". allafrica.com. Archived from the original on 12 October 2012. Retrieved 26 October 2025.
  22. 1 2 3 Garry, Walker. "Little to Cheer As Governors Gear up for Re-election". This Day . Archived from the original on 12 May 2003. Retrieved 17 October 2025.
  23. 1 2 "A list of state administrators in Nigeria shortly before and since the death of Sani Abacha [NGA30766.E]". European Country of Origin Information Network. 18 December 1998. Archived from the original on 31 August 2025. Retrieved 21 August 2025.
  24. 1 2 3 4 Henry, Umaru (21 January 2014). "The man Adamu Mu'azu". Vanguard . Archived from the original on 23 August 2025. Retrieved 13 April 2025.
  25. 1 2 3 Suzan, Edeh (6 February 2014). "Mu'azu and Yuguda: Trouble is still ahead". Vanguard . Archived from the original on 22 August 2025. Retrieved 21 August 2025.
  26. 1 2 3 Eribake, Akintayo (6 July 2010). "Court okays Yuguda's defection to PDP". Vanguard . Archived from the original on 21 August 2025. Retrieved 20 August 2025.
  27. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 "Profile: Bala Mohammed, Governor of Bauchi [2019 – ]". Premium Times . 25 January 2021. Archived from the original on 23 August 2025. Retrieved 21 August 2025.
  28. 1 2 Ahmadu Maishanu, Abubakar (17 May 2024). "Garba Duba, Nigerian Army general who participated in 1966 counter-coup, is dead". Premium Times . Retrieved 19 August 2025.
  29. 1 2 Onyekamu, Charles; Ali, Ali M.; Madugba, Agaju (9 May 2003). "Joshua Madaki, Ex-Gov, Dies in Road Crash". This Day . Archived from the original on 30 September 2007. Retrieved 21 August 2025.
  30. 1 2 "allAfrica.com: Nigeria: Ex-administrator Joins Politics, Declares for PDP". allafrica.com. Archived from the original on 12 October 2012. Retrieved 26 October 2025.
  31. ↑ Abdullahi, Mohammed (5 December 2010). "The stewardship of Colonel Theophilus Bamigboye in Bauchi State, 1996-1998". Open Library. Retrieved 26 October 2025.
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