| Post: | Governor |
| Body: | Ondo State |
| Insignia: | Seal of Ondo State.png |
| Insigniasize: | 100 |
| Insigniacaption: | Seal of Ondo State |
| Flag: | File:Flag of Ondo State.png |
| Flagsize: | 125 |
| Flagcaption: | Flag of Ondo State |
| Incumbent: | Lucky Aiyedatiwa |
| Incumbentsince: | 27 December 2023 |
| Department: | Executive Branch of the Ondo State Government |
| Type: | |
| Member Of: |
|
| Residence: | Ondo State Government House |
| Seat: | Akure |
| Appointer: | Direct popular election or via succession from deputy governorship |
| Termlength: | Four years |
| Termlength Qualified: | renewable once |
| Constituting Instrument: | Constitution of Nigeria |
| Inaugural: | Ita David Ikpeme |
| Deputy: | Deputy Governor of Ondo State |
The governor of Ondo State is the head of government of Ondo State in Nigeria. The governor is the head of the executive branch of the Ondo State Government. The governor has a duty to enforce state laws and the power to either approve or veto bills passed by the Ondo State House of Assembly, to convene the legislature and grant pardons.
When Ondo State was created from the Western State in 1976, Group Captain Ita David Ikpeme was appointed its first governor. Olusegun Mimiko served the longest term as governor, serving for two consecutive terms of 4 years from 2009 to 2017.[1]
Since the creation of the state in 1976, 19 people have served as governor, 12 military governors and 7 civilian governors. Brigadier General Raji Rasaki served the shortest term in office of 7 months.
The current governor is Lucky Aiyedatiwa, who was sworn in on 27 December 2023 following the death of Rotimi Akeredolu.[2] [3]
Ondo State was created on 3 February 1976 and General Olusegun Obasanjo appointed Ita David Ikpeme as military governor on 17 March 1976.
| Governor | Term of office | Party | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Portrait | Name | Took office | Left office | Time in office | |||
| 1 | Group Captain Ita David Ikpeme | 17 March 1976 | 24 July 1978 | Military | |||
| 2 | Brigadier Sunday Tuoyo | 24 July 1978 | 1 October 1979 | ||||
See main article: Second Nigerian Republic. Under the 1979 Constitution, the second constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, the governor was both head of state and government. The governor was elected for a four-year term. In the event of a vacancy the deputy governor would have served as acting governor.
Major General Muhammadu Buhari was made military head of state following the coup d'ètat of 1983, which overthrew the Second Republic. He appointed his military governors in January 1984. He was in turn overthrown by General Ibrahim Babangida on 27 August 1985.
| Governor | Term of office | Party | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Portrait | Name | Took office | Left office | Time in office | |||
| 4 | Commodore Michael Bamidele Otiko | 2 January 1984 | 2 September 1985 | Military | |||
| 5 | Navy Captain Michael Okhai Akhigbe | 2 September 1985 | 26 August 1986 | ||||
| 6 | Colonel Ekundayo B. Opaleye | 26 August 1986 | 17 December 1987 | ||||
| 7 | Brigadier General Raji Alagbe Rasaki | 17 December 1987 | July 1988 | ||||
| 8 | Commodore Bode George | July 1988 | 3 September 1990 | ||||
| 9 | Navy Captain Sunday Abiodun Olukoya | 3 September 1990 | 3 January 1992 | ||||
See main article: Third Nigerian Republic. Under the 1979 Constitution, the second constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, the governor was both head of state and government. The governor was elected for a four-year term. In the event of a vacancy the deputy governor would have served as acting governor.
General Sani Abacha led the palace coup d'ètat of 1993 which overthrew the Third Republic. He appointed his military administrators in December 1993.
| Administrator | Term of office | Party | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Portrait | Name | Took office | Left office | Time in office | |||
| 11 | Colonel Mike Torey | 9 December 1993 | September 1994 | Military | |||
| 12 | Colonel Ahmed Usman | September 1994 | 22 August 1996 | ||||
| 13 | Navy Captain Anthony Onyearugbulem | 22 August 1996 | 7 August 1998 | ||||
| 14 | Colonel Moses Fasanya | 7 August 1998 | 29 May 1999 | ||||
See main article: Fourth Nigerian Republic. Under the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, the governor is both head of state and government. The governor is elected for a four-year term. In the event of a vacancy, the deputy governor would serve as acting governor.
| Governor | Term of office | Political party | Elected | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Portrait | Name | Took office | Left office | Time in office | |||||
| 15 | Chief Adebayo Adefarati | 29 May 1999 | 29 May 2003 | years | Alliance for Democracy | 1999 | |||
| 16 | Olusegun Agagu | 29 May 2003 | 23 February 2009 | Peoples Democratic Party | 2003 2007 | ||||
| 17 | Olusegun Mimiko | 24 February 2009 | 24 February 2017 | years | Labour Party Peoples Democratic Party | 2012 | |||
| 18 | Rotimi Akeredolu | 24 February 2017 | 27 December 2023 | All Progressives Congress | 2016 2020 | ||||
| 19 | Lucky Aiyedatiwa | 27 December 2023 | Incumbent | All Progressives Congress | |||||