List of heads of state of Nigeria explained

This is a list of the heads of state of Nigeria, from independence in 1960 to the present day. The current constitution of Nigeria has the president of Nigeria as the head of state and government.[1]

From 1960 to 1963, the head of state under the Constitution of 1960 was the queen of Nigeria, Elizabeth II who was also the queen of the United Kingdom and the other Commonwealth realms. The monarch was represented in Nigeria by a governor-general. Nigeria became a republic within the Commonwealth under the Constitution of 1963 and the monarch and governor-general were replaced by a ceremonial president. Nnamdi Azikiwe served as the only indigenous governor-general of Nigeria.

Since Nigeria became a republic in 1963, 14 individuals have served as head of state of Nigeria under different titles. The incumbent president Bola Tinubu is the nation's 16th head of state. Olusegun Obasanjo and Muhammadu Buhari both served two non-consecutive periods as head of state, first as military officers and then later as civilians. The first ceremonial president, who served during the first republic was Nnamdi Azikiwe, while the first executive president of Nigeria was Shehu Shagari. Shagari was also the first president to be elected to the position.[2]

The interim government of Ernest Shonekan who was deposed 83 days after taking office in 1993 is the shortest in Nigeria's history[3] not including the tenure of Sir James Robertson who served 46 days as governor-general immediately after independence. Aguiyi-Ironsi served 194 days in the office, the shortest for a permanent head of state. Murtala Muhammed served 199 days in the position. Yakubu Gowon served the longest continuous period of almost nine years before being deposed while he was away from the country in 1975.[4] Olusegun Obasanjo served the longest period for eleven years, two hundred and thirty days combined.[5]

Five heads of state were deposed in a military coup (Nnamdi Azikiwe, Yakubu Gowon, Shehu Shagari, Muhammadu Buhari and Ernest Shonekan). Four heads of state died in office, two were assassinated during a military coup (Aguiyi-Ironsi[6] and Murtala Muhammed),[7] while two died of natural causes (Sani Abacha and Umaru Musa Yar'Adua).[8] Three heads of state resigned, Olusegun Obasanjo and Abdulsalami Abubakar resigned after transition to democracy in 1979 and 1999 respectively, while Ibrahim Babangida was forced to resign after he annulled the 12 June 1993 presidential election in which SDP candidate MKO Abiola reportedly won.[9] Olusegun Obasanjo was the first vice president (as Chief of Staff, Supreme Headquarters) to become head of state when Murtala Muhammed was killed during the 1976 Nigerian coup d'état attempt,[10] while Goodluck Jonathan was the first democratic vice president to become head of state when Umaru Musa Yar'Adua died of Illness on 5 May 2010.[11]

Monarchy (1960–1963)

Monarch

See main article: Monarchy of Nigeria (1960–1963). The succession to the throne was the same as the succession to the British throne.

Governor-general

The Governor-general was the representative of the monarch in Nigeria and exercised most of the powers of the monarch. The governor-general was appointed for an indefinite term, serving at the pleasure of the monarch. Since Nigeria was granted independence by the Nigeria Independence Act 1960, rather than being first established as a semi-autonomous Dominion and later promoted to independence by the Statute of Westminster 1931, the governor-general was appointed solely on the advice of the Nigerian cabinet without the involvement of the British government, with the sole of exception of James Robertson, the former colonial governor, who served as governor-general temporarily until he was replaced by Nnamdi Azikiwe. In the event of a vacancy the chief justice would have served as officer administering the government.

Governor-generalTerm of officeMonarchPrime minister
PortraitName
Took officeLeft officeTime in office
1Sir James Robertson
1 October 196016 November 1960Elizabeth IISir Abubakar Tafawa Balewa
2Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe
16 November 19601 October 1963

Republic (1963–present)

First Republic (1963–1966)

See main article: First Nigerian Republic. Under the 1963 Constitution, the first constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Nigeria ran the parliamentary system of government with a prime minister and the president replacing the monarch as ceremonial head of state. The prime minister was formed by the leader of the party that won the election. The first federal election was won by the Northern People's Congress led by Abubakar Tafawa Balewa. The president was elected by Parliament for a five-year term. In the event of a vacancy the president of the Senate would have served as acting president.

Military Government (1966–1979)

See main article: Military dictatorship in Nigeria. Major Chukwuma Kaduna Nzeogwu orchestrated the bloody military coup d'état of 1966 which overthrew the First Republic.

Head of stateTerm of officeMilitary
PortraitName
Took officeLeft officeTime in office
2Major General
Johnson Aguiyi-Ironsi
16 January 196629 July 1966
Central Military Government
3General
Yakubu Gowon
1 August 196629 July 1975
Supreme Military Council[12] [13]
4General
Murtala Mohammed
29 July 197513 February 1976
[14]
5General
Olusegun Obasanjo
13 February 19761 October 1979

Second Republic (1979–1983)

See main article: Second Nigerian Republic. Under the 1979 Constitution, the second constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, the President was both head of state and government. The president was elected for a four-year term. In the event of a vacancy the vice president would have served as acting president.

Military Government (1983–1993)

See main article: Military dictatorship in Nigeria. Major General Muhammadu Buhari was made military head of state following the coup d'ètat of 1983, which overthrew the Second Republic.

Head of state/
President
Term of officeMilitary
PortraitName
Took officeLeft officeTime in office
7Major General
Muhammadu Buhari
31 December 198327 August 1985
Supreme Military Council
8General
Ibrahim Babangida
27 August 198526 August 1993
Armed Forces Ruling Council

Interim National Government (1993)

Chief Ernest Shonekan was made interim head of state of Nigeria following the crisis of the Third Republic.

Military Government (1993–1999)

See main article: Military dictatorship in Nigeria. General Sani Abacha led the palace coup d'ètat of 1993 which overthrew the Interim National Government.

Head of stateTerm of officeMilitary
PortraitName
Took officeLeft officeTime in office
10General
Sani Abacha
17 November 19938 June 1998
Provisional Ruling Council
11General
Abdulsalami Abubakar
9 June 199829 May 1999

Fourth Republic (1999–present)

See main article: Fourth Nigerian Republic. Under the fourth Constitution of the Republic of Nigeria, the president is head of both state and government. The president is elected by for a four-year term. In the event of a vacancy the vice president serves as acting president.

PresidentTerm of officePolitical partyCabinetElected
PortraitNameTook officeLeft officeTime in office
12Chief Olusegun Obasanjo
29 May 199929 May 2007 yearsPeople's Democratic PartyObasanjo1999
2003
13Alhaji Umaru Musa Yar'Adua
29 May 20075 May 2010
People's Democratic PartyYar'Adua2007
14Dr. Goodluck Jonathan
6 May 201029 May 2015People's Democratic PartyJonathan I–II2011[15]
15Muhammadu Buhari
29 May 201529 May 2023 yearsAll Progressives CongressBuhari III2015
2019
[16]
16Bola Tinubu
29 May 2023Incumbent All Progressives CongressTinubu2023

Term of office in years

This is a list of each head of state in order of term length.

Of the 14 post monarchy heads of state, only two, Olusegun Obasanjo and Muhammadu Buhari, served in two non consecutive periods.

RankHead of StatePolitical partyLongest continuous termTotal time in officePeriodsCause of end of term
1Olusegun ObasanjoMilitary/Peoples Democratic Party2Resignation/Natural expiration
2Muhammadu BuhariMilitary/All Progressives Congress2Deposed/Natural expiration
3Yakubu GowonMilitary1Deposed
4Ibrahim BabangidaMilitary1Resignation
5Goodluck Jonathan1Natural expiration
6Sani AbachaMilitary1Death
7Shehu ShagariNational Party of Nigeria1Deposed
8Umaru Musa Yar'AduaPeople's Democratic Party1Death
9Nnamdi AzikiweNational Council of Nigeria and the Cameroons1Deposed
10Bola TinubuAll Progressives Congress1In office
11Abdulsalami AbubakarMilitary1Resignation
12Murtala MuhammedMilitary1Assassinated
13Johnson Aguiyi-IronsiMilitary1Assassinated
14Ernest ShonekanIndependent1Deposed

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Past Presidents & Heads of State . statehouse.gov.ng . Statehouse of Nigeria . 25 March 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20170814021711/http://www.statehouse.gov.ng/index.php/government/the-state-house/history/past-presidents-and-eads-of-state . 14 August 2017 . dead.
  2. Web site: Shehu Shagari: President of the Second Republic . 25 February 2019 .
  3. News: Nigerian Military Leader Ousts Interim President . The New York Times . 18 November 1993 .
  4. News: Gowon Ousted in Nigeria; Coup ends Nine-Year Rule . The New York Times . 30 July 1975 .
  5. Web site: Olusegun Obasanjo: Nigeria's Three-Time President . 5 March 2019 .
  6. News: Nigerians Confirm Slaying of Ironsi . The New York Times . 15 January 1967 .
  7. News: Nigeria Confirms Killing of Leader . The New York Times . 15 February 1976 .
  8. Web site: Nigeria's president Yar'Adua dies .
  9. Web site: June 12 presidential election was annulled to prevent coup - Babangida . 6 August 2021 .
  10. News: Nigeria Confirms Killing of Leader . The New York Times . 15 February 1976 .
  11. Web site: Nigeria's president Yar'Adua dies .
  12. Web site: Yakubu Gowon head of state of Nigeria. Encyclopedia Britannica. en. 2020-05-29.
  13. Book: Kasuka, Bridgette. Prominent African Leaders Since Independence. April 2013. New Africa Press. 978-9987-16-026-6. en.
  14. Book: Dimka's Confession: The Tragedy of a Nation. 1976. Bendel Newspapers Corporation. en.
  15. News: Purefoy. Christian. Widespread election violence erupts in Nigeria. CNN. 20 April 2011. 19 April 2011.
  16. Web site: BREAKING: Buhari declares June 12 Democracy Day to honour Abiola . Premium Times Nigeria . 25 February 2019 . 6 June 2018.