By Abbas Yushau Yusuf
When Nigeria’s fourth republic was inaugurated by General Abdulsalami Abubakar on May 29th, 1999, 36 state governors were inaugurated.
It’s now 24 years since the beginning of the Republic, marking the longest-serving democracy without military intervention.
NIGERIAN TRACKER learned that apart from President Umaru Musa Yaradua, who joined his predecessors that died in office like Sir Abubakar Tafawa Balewa, General Aguiyi Ironsi, General Murtala Muhammad,General Sani Abacha, there are civilian governors who also died while serving their terms of office, including some military governors.
In the fourth republic, the following governors died in office:
Governor Mamman Bello Ali Of Yobe State:
Senator Mamman Bello Ali died in the United States of America on January 26, 2009, when he was about to clock two years in office. His generation of governors was elected in 2007. By then, the late President Umaru Musa Yaradua was on vacation. Then-acting President Goodluck Jonathan ordered the immediate swearing-in of Late Mamman Ali’s Deputy, Alhaji Ibrahim Gaidam, who completed Mamman’s tenure and served another two terms. He ruled Yobe State for 10 years from 2009 to 2019.
Governor Patrick Ibrahim Yakowa Of Kaduna State:
Patrick Yakowa was sworn in as Governor of Kaduna state on May 18, 2010, following the nomination of Governor Namadi Sambo of Kaduna state to fill in the vacuum left by President Goodluck Jonathan as Vice President due to the death of President Umaru Musa Yaradua. On December 15, 2012, Governor Patrick Yakowa and former National Security Adviser General Owoye Andrew Azazi died in a chopper crash on their way to Port Harcourt after attending funeral prayers in Bayelsa state. Yakowa was the second governor to die in office in the fourth Republic.
Governor Rotimi Akeredolu Of Ondo State:
Governor Rotimi Akeredolu of Ondo State, who succeeded Olusegun Mimiko, completed his tenure in 2017 and has been fighting leukemia. Ondo State is one of the Nigerian states that are undergoing off-season elections. Today, December 27, 2027, Nigerians woke up to the death of Governor Rotimi Akeredolu in a Lagos hospital. He was supposed to complete his tenure in the year 2025. NIGERIAN TRACKER reports that with the death of Governor Akeredolu of Ondo State, the number of Nigerian governors who died in the fourth republic while serving their terms of office is now three.
Late Mamman Ali of Yobe State on January 26, 2009, Late Patrick Ibrahim Yakowa of Kaduna state on December 15, 2012, and now Late Rotimi Akeredolu of Ondo State on December 27, 2023.
