Politics all over the world play the most critical role in driving national development, but behind the structures, institutions, and organisations geared towards the achievement of the same are actors influencing thoughts, directions, and processes of change.

Most often, many of these actors are aware of the enormous influence they wield but underestimate the ripple effect of it while others are completely unaware, thus making it difficult to leverage the same for the public good. Many even back out of the arena due to apathy without a realisation of how much their contribution enhances nation-building.

It is in a bid to promote this consciousness among Nigerians leading and those being led; that YNaija – the platform that focuses on smart conversations and contemporary issues as they affect young people, presents YNaija Politics 100; an annual list of individuals and institutions considered as its 100 Most Influential Voices in Nigerian Politics.

If you missed part one of the list, open it here.

Hamza Al-Mustapha

Hamza Al-Mustapha is a former Nigerian Army major and intelligence officer who served as Chief Security Officer to General Sani Abacha, who was Nigeria’s military head of state from 1993 until his sudden death in 1998. Prior to his close relationship with Gen. Sani Abacha, al Mustapha had been involved in counter-intelligence activities and at least two investigations of coup attempts; which brought him to the attention of the General.

He was one of the key facilitators of the General Sani Abacha-led coup. Both his principal and head of state, General Ibrahim Babangida had absolute confidence in his abilities and entrusted him with exceptional powers, considerably greater than other officers who were nominally his superior which further projected him as a strongman of the military hierarchy.

After he seized power in 1993, Al-Mustapha was expressly appointed as his head of security. In this role, he was responsible for the security of the regime and established a number of elite military-security organisations. He established himself as a fearful force in the hierarchy that even his superiors regard him highly.

Al-Mustapha oversaw the reorganisation of the entire territory of Nigeria into six geopolitical zones, in this, he cultivated a vast network of spies and informants across the federation. After the demise of General Sani Abacha, Al-Mustapha was removed from office and subsequently arrested.

Following his arrest, al-Mustapha was seriously prosecuted on various grounds. He was remanded in Kirikiri Maximum Security Prison, where he was tortured for over a year, in chains and solitary confinement for over a year, allowed only a cup of water daily, and subject to psychological torture.

Throughout his internment, he was allowed to see his parents only twice. In 2011, rumour had it that al-Mustapha had been murdered at the Kirikiri Maximum Security Prisons where he was being held, but these turned out to be untrue.

After fifteen rigorous years of trials and imprisonment, al-Mustapha was acquitted of all charges and was released. He moved to Kano and entered into partisan politics with his strong youth and grassroots support he founded the Green Party of Nigeria (GPN). He later emerged as the presidential candidate of the People’s Party of Nigeria (PPN) during the 2019 presidential Election. He still has the political ambition to contest for president.

Ibikunle Amosun

Ibikunle Amosun is a highly regarded top political leader in Nigerian politics. His journey in Nigeria politics is no doubt a motivation to millions to keep tabs on him. Amosun’s political office race started in the Ogun Senatorial race. He contested to represent Ogun central senatorial in 2003, an election in which he came out victorious.

Actuated by his ambition for direct governance, Amosun contested in the 2007 gubernatorial elections but was only a runner up to Gbenga Daniel. Amosun fiercely disputed the election results and proceeded to the tribunal. His petition was however dismissed. Following his defeat in his first attempt at the gubernatorial race, Amosun in 2011 sought election as a governorship aspirant on the mandate of the Action Congress of Nigeria, an election he won by a landslide. 

Amosun contested the 2015 gubernatorial election with a much improved CV for a consecutive term in office. Amosun contested and won to be elected governor of the state. Amosun in 2019, handed over power to his successor, the incumbent governor of the state, Dapo Aboidun 

He currently sits as a senator of the Federal Republic representing the good people of Ogun Central senatorial district. 

Ibrahim Dankwambo

Dankwmbo Ibrahim is an inclined Nigerian politician and a brilliant accountant. He began his career with Coopers & Lybrand in 1985 and worked at the Central Bank of Nigeria from 1988 to 1999. He was appointed Accountant General of Gombe, holding this position until 2005 when He was appointed Accountant – General of the Federation on 20 April 2005. He also served on the Board of the Central Bank of Nigeria. He held this office until he resigned to start his campaign for election as Governor of Gombe State in January 2011.

In the 2011 election, Dankwambo enjoyed a much-deserved victory over his opponents in the gubernatorial race. One which is considered one of the biggest in the history of the state. 

Ibrahim Gambari 

Ibrahim Agboola Gambari is a Nigerian academician and one of the country’s finest diplomats. Gambari has been instrumental to the positive global image of Nigeria, ensuring the country enjoys a decent representation on the global network. Gambari is a top respected scholar who started his teaching career in the United States. Gambari taught far and wide in America, directly impacting lives and publishing in reputable journals in foreign policy and international relations.

Gambari served in various capacities in Nigeria politics and with the United Nations. Under the military regime of General Muhammadu Buhari, he served as the minister for external affairs before he was appointed director-general of the Nigerian Institute of International Affairs (NIIA). Gambari holds the record of being the longest-serving Nigerian Ambassador to the United Nations, serving under five Heads of State and Presidents and serving in different capacities. 

Ibrahim Shekarau

Ibrahim Shekarau is a force to reckon with in Nigerian politics. His relevancy and doggedness cannot be underestimated for what he has done in reshaping the political ideology of Kano.

Shekarau grew through the ranks in the civil service of Kano. He served in various capacities. His first milestone appointment was as the deputy director of education in charge of the Bichi zonal area. His rate of growth in the service was so seamless.

Shekarau was transferred to several ministries and in different capacities before his voluntary retirement from civil service in 2001. After his time in public service was over, Shekarau took an offer to work as a secretary to businessman Aminu Dantata. He was employed under Dantata until he became a contender in Kano State’s 2003 gubernatorial elections.

With the weight of the renowned business tycoon thrown behind him, it was rather harder not to win than to lose. Shekarau won the election to become the state governor and in 2007 contested to be re-elected for a consecutive term which he enjoyed victory from the polls. 

Immediately after vacating office in 2011, Shekarau declared his intention for the presidency and contested it. However the polls weren’t in his favour. In May 2022, Shekarau defected from the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) to New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP).

Idris Abiola-Ajimobi

Idris Abiola Ajimobi is the only son of the late former Governor of Oyo, Abiola Ajimobi.  He’s a brilliant and dogged man of high societal values. Idris Ajibola Ajimobi keeps a low profile and his personality simple. He returned to Nigeria in 2016 where he started his career as an entrepreneur in Real Estate Management. 

Idris Abiola-Ajimobi emerged as a consensus candidate on the mandate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) for Ibadan South-West II State Constituency.

Ifeanyi Okowa 

Ifeanyichukwu Arthur Okowa is a Nigerian medical doctor and politician. Okowa is regarded as a man of high repute and one who prioritises grassroots politicking.  

He came into the world of politics at his appointment as the secretary to Ika local government before he became its elected chairman. He acted in the capacity of the Delta north coordinator of Grassroots Democratic Movement (GDM).

He joined the PDP in 1998, and was instrumental to Governor James Ibori’s campaign in 1998/1999. Under Ibori’s government, he served as commissioner in different ministries. In 2007, Okowa declared his intention for direct governance in the state affairs. He resigned from office to contest at the primaries, but wasn’t fortunate to clinch the party’s ticket. 

In the 2011 general elections, Okowa declared to contest for a senatorial seat of the federal republic. He won the primary but his credibility was challenged. In a rescheduled rerun, Okowa won with a greater margin. Okowa won the general election and represented the good people of his Senatorial district. 

Ifeanyi finally clinched the ticket for the gubernatorial election in 2015 under the PDP. In the gubernatorial election, Ifeanyi Okowa won at the polls, an election generally considered a much-contested one. In his bid for reelection in the 2019 polls, Okowa won with one of the biggest margins ever in the state.

In what is regarded as one of the highlights of his administration, Okowa established three state-owned universities with one sitting in his hometown. Okowa as a party loyalist was nominated as the running mate to the party’s presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar in the 2023 upcoming elections.

Ikedi Ohakim 

Ikedi Ohakim is a renowned business expert and a financial analyst. He is a reliable source in investment-related topics. He arguably sits as one of the top experts in Nigeria in the feasibility and viability prospect of businesses.  

Ikedi Ohakim’s participation in mainstream politics can be precisely dated to over two decades ago when he was appointed Commissioner for Commerce, Industry, and Tourism of Imo in 1992 under Governor Evan Enwerem, a government that was disturbed during the coup headed by General Sani Abacha.

He was one of the founding members of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in Imo, and remained a member until November 2006, when he defected to the Progressive Peoples Alliance (PPA), on the platform which he ran as the governorship aspirant of the party. On the ground of widespread violence that broke out at the polls, INEC nullified the election as void and rescheduled another just in the space of two weeks. Ohakim was declared the victor of the rerun to serve his people as the governor of the state. 

In a very controversial move in 2009, Ohakim publicly switched allegiance back to the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) at a ceremony in Owerri attended by President Umaru Yar’Adua, Vice President Goodluck Jonathan, former President Olusegun Obasanjo, and other party leaders. It was a move that created an uproar in the PPA which the party proceeded to court to challenge, claiming it was illegal.

Iyiola Omisore 

Iyiola Ajani “Otunba” Omisore is a Nigerian businessman, a certified civil engineer, and a politician. He is one that is seen as an iconic political element in his state of origin, Osun. Omisore is a statement of relentlessness and vision. 

He established himself as an active political icon in the state gubernatorial election in 1999 when he served as the running mate to Bisi Akande and subsequently as his deputy governor after the election was won. In 2003, after the expiration of their term in the governor’s office, Omisore swerved his ambition and decided to run as a senatorial aspirant representing the Osun East district in the senate. Running on the platform of the PDP, Omisore served till the expiration of his term in 2007. He won reelection in 2007 and returned to the senate. Omisore served in different capacities as a member of the senate.

In the guber election of 2014, Omisore ran on the mandate of the PDP against the incumbent governor of the state. It was an election he lost, finishing as a runner-up behind Rauf Aregbesola of the defunct ACN. In 2018, Omisore returned to the guber polls on the mandate of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) where he came third behind candidates of the APC and PDP.

Following the controversy that clouded the election, Omisore silently switched allegiance to the APC and spontaneously became one of its stakeholders. He was elected the national general secretary of the party in its just-concluded national convention. 

Iyorchia Ayu

Iyorchia Ayu is a highly respected academician and one of the most relevant Political leaders in Nigeria since the third republic. Ayu started off as a lecturer of sociology at the University of Jos, Plateau. He further went to be elected as the Chairman of the Jos University chapter of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU).

While in the civil service, Ayu has a growing popularity of influence among the native majority people of Tiv people in Benue. This propelled his ambition to join the political circle. In the Third Republic, on the platform of the Social Democratic Party (SDP), Ayu contested for a seat in the senate. The election result was in his favour and became an elected member of the house and subsequently became Senate President.

In1993, Ayu was impeached as the president of the senate and in turn lost his seat in the house. After the successful coup action of General Sani Abacha, he was appointed the Minister of Education of the Federation 

The 1999 general election elected President Obasanjo into office, and Ayu was a key facilitator of his campaign ensuring a seamless sojourn into office. Ayu was then appointed Minister of Internal Affairs in July 2003. It was an office he didn’t keep for long when he was prematurely dismissed from office without any reason from the presidency.  

After falling out with Obasanjo, Ayu left the PDP and joined the Action Congress (AC). He led the campaign to elect Vice President Atiku Abubakar as president on the AC platform in April 2007. Iyorchia Ayu currently serves as chairman of PDP national working committee

Julius Abure

Abure is the national chair of the Labour Party. Julius Abure Esq. who was the National Secretary of Labour Party was elected to replace Alhaji Abdulkadir Abdulsalam who died in 2020.

Kabir Ibrahim Masari

Masari  is a well-known politician from Katsina, Nigeria. He was the former welfare of APC political party when Edo Governor, was national chairman of the party.

He is Bola Tinubu’s running mate for the 2023 presidential election.

Kashim Shettima 

Kashim Shettima is one of the most patriotic and compassionate politicians in Nigeria. His leadership credentials and credibility have spread like a wildfire across the country and ahead. He has established himself as a leader that leads by example, and has shown sincere empathy and steadfastness in the face of uncertainty and insurgency. 

Before he joined politics, Shettima was one of the most successful individuals in the banking sector. He serves in various capacities and with numerous financial institutions in the county. His first political appointment was as the Commissioner of Borno. 

In the space of 2007 to 2011, he served as Commissioner in five different Ministries in the state. In the 2011 ANPP primaries, Shettima won a second primary of the party after an unfortunate incident led to the death of the initial flag bearer.

Shettima won at the polls and became the governor. In his bid for reelection for a consecutive term, Shettima was victorious in an election that was a tussle for the governor seat. Shettima’s leadership qualities were evident as he was unambiguously chosen as Chairman of the Northern States Governors’ Forum.

As Governor of Borno, he has efficiently managed challenges arising from the Boko Haram insurgency which he inherited in 2011. Since his inception into office, Shettima has tirelessly fought for bettering the affairs of the state, primarily focused on the Boko haram insurgency. 

In September 2014, Maiduguri, the seat of Government became very vulnerable to being occupied by insurgents. Although Maiduguri didn’t fall, the insurgents succeeded in occupying 20 out of the 27 local government areas of the State before the Nigerian Armed Forces liberated them.

Shettima coordinated temporary accommodation, rehabilitation, and resettlement of victims of the Boko Haram insurgents. With peace building, Shettima championed Reconstruction, Rehabilitation, and Resettlement of victims. 

Shettima’s leadership credentials have attracted positive recognition within and outside Nigeria. He was awarded governor of the year on several occasions. 

After his term as a governor, Shettima contested as an aspirant in the senatorial election. In the 2019 polls, he was elected as senator representing the people of Borno central. 

Kema Chikwe

Kema Chikwe is one of the most successful women in Nigerian politics. She’s a strong and relentless role model to young and ambitious women aspiring to reach heights in politics. 

Chikwe started her career as a radio journalist, editor, and publisher. She was chief executive and publisher of Prime Time limited to the publishers of Ash magazine and much more ingenious work. 

Before she ventured into mainstream politics Chikwe had been involved in a number of non-governmental organisations. Her political journey started as a member of the national party of Nigeria NPN, in the second republic. Over time she switched allegiance to the NRC, UNCP, and now PDP.

She served as the honourable Minister of Transport, before moving to the Ministry of Aviation under the Presidency of Olusegun Obasanjo, an office she held until May 2003. With the intent of direct governance, Chikwe declared her aspirations to run for governor of Imo state, an ambition that she couldn’t materialize. In 2009 she was appointed the Nigerian ambassador to Ireland.

Kema Chikwe currently holds the position of National Women Leader of the Nigerian political party PDP.

Khadijah Okunnu-Lamidi

Khadijah Okunnu-Lamidi is an entrepreneur who has been effectively active in community influencing. 

She started her career working with the Lagos State Signage and Advertisement Agency (LASAA) for four years before delving into entrepreneurship. Khadijah founded her private business as an advertising agency.

She is known for her gender balance and youth development advocacy. She is the brain behind some social impact initiatives such as – Water Relief Nigeria, Help Our Youth (HOY), and To Better Nigeria & Project: Bridge the Gap.

Her motivation to contest for the presidency is because of her desire to rekindle hope and make Nigeria work for all Nigerians.

She declared her interest in the 2023 presidential elections running on the mandate of the SDP

Kola Abiola

Kola Abiola is a Nigerian politician and a businessman. Kola is the heir to the empire of late MKO Abiola, the alleged winner of the 1993 presidential election. 

Kola declared his intention to contest the 2023 presidential race beneath the platform of the People’s Redemption Party (PRP). Having won at the party’s primary, kola was announced the official flag bearer of the PRP in the 2023 presidential elections. 

Lynda Chuba-Ikpeazu

Lynda Chuba-Ikpeazu is a Nigerian politician who gained popularity as the first-ever MBGN winner in 1986. She is also one of 11 females out of the 360 lawmakers in the chamber in Nigeria. 

Chuba-Ikpeazu’s active involvement in Nigeria politics was as a member of the House of Representatives from 1999 to 2003. She sought reelection in 2004 and was declared winner of the Nigerian National Assembly election, representing the people of Onitsha North-South Federal Constituency as a candidate of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP). Lynda served as the Chairman, House Committee on Maritime Safety and education.

She currently sits as a member of the Board of Directors of Anambra United.

Margaret Okadigbo

Margery Okadigbo is a highly regarded Nigerian politician and a lawyer by profession. Margaret Okadigbo can be taken as the feminine illustration of articulation and eloquence of her late husband. 

Margaret made history to become the first person in Nigeria’s history to sit in the same seat as her husband. While in the senates, she presented Anambra north federal constituency in the Senate. 

In January 2022, president Buhari appointed her to serve as Board Chairman of Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) Limited. A position she currently holds. 

Maggie Batubo

Maggie Mariam Batubo is a Nigerian political leader and a businesswoman. She sits as the National Women Leader of the Social Democratic Party of Nigeria.  

It was not until 2003 that she ventured into active politics in Nigeria. She started her journey by joining the Movement for the Restoration and Defense of Democracy (MRDD). Her contributions to this movement propelled her to the position of the Rivers Women Leader. Her skills at social mobilisation have stood her in good stead in her political activities.

Maggie Batubo was a founding member of the Niger Delta People’s Salvation Front (NDPSF), leading the Rivers front until 2006, when she went on to join the Democratic People’s Party (DPP) of Nigeria, again rising to the position of Rivers State Women Leader. 

With her tremendous contribution to the efforts to forge the Social Democratic Mega Party in 2011, she emerged as its National Women Leader. Batubo defected to SDP and was elected the National Women Leader of the party in 2013, a position which she has held till date, and in which she is exhibiting a remarkable performance.

Malik Ado-Ibrahim is a billionaire businessman and politician.

Malik is a businessman with international exposure in private and governmental businesses.

Malik Ado-Ibrahim

Malik is a man of great passion for public service and tremendous interest in sustainable living and environmental development in Africa. 

Malik declared his intention to run at the poll for the upcoming presidential elections in Nigeria. 

The Founder of the Reset Nigeria Initiative, Prince Malik Ado-Ibrahim, emerged as the presidential candidate of the Young Progressives Party (YPP) in June 2022.

Mohammed Abacha

Mohammad Abacha, son of the late former head of state General Sani Abacha. He is the eldest surviving son of the military leader. 

After the abrupt demise of his father, the Abacha family went silent in Nigerian politics. But in a bid to rebuild the family legacy. Mohammed returned to the political sphere. 

He declared his intention to serve as the governor of Kano. This prompted him to contest at the party’s primary. Abacha clinched the ticket and emerged as the flag bearer of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in Kano.

Muhammadu Buhari 

Muhammadu Buhari is a Nigerian national leader, an iconic politician, and a retired member of the Nigerian army. Buhari has been a regular and relevant name in the country’s political sphere since the second republic. 

Buhari was one of the leaders of the military coup of December 1983 that overthrew the Second Nigerian Republic. The coup ended Nigeria’s short-lived Second Republic, a period of multi-party democracy revived in 1979, after 13 years of military rule.

In August 1985, Major General Buhari was overthrown in a coup led by General Ibrahim Babangida and other members of the ruling Supreme Military Council (SMC).

During the regime of General Sani Abacha, Buhari was appointed the head of the petroleum trust fund, an agency of the government that enjoyed what was acclaimed a rare success.

Buhari contested for the presidency under the civilian rule in 2003, 2007, and 2011, all without enjoying success. In a merger of political parties, Buhari emerged as the presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress party for the 2015 general election.

Buhari won the election, defeating incumbent President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan which was the first time in the history of Nigeria that an incumbent president lost a general election. He was sworn in on 29 May 2015. In February 2019, Buhari was re-elected, defeating his closest rival, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, by over 3 million votes.

Mustapha Lamido

The son of former governor of Jigawa , Sule Lamido, was, in May 2022, elected the governorship candidate of the opposition Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP) in the state.

Meanwhile, in his acceptance speech, Mr Lamido said: “I most sincerely accept this nomination with humility, modesty and determination.

He described the congress as ‘historic’, saying that majority of the PDP candidates in the state are younger than candidates in the previous election.

Lamido pledged to run an inclusive government if elected governor.

Nasir Ahmed el-Rufai 

Nasir Ahmed el-Rufai is an intellectually gritted Nigerian politician with grace and grasp of issues that are characteristic of a patriotic leader. His political relevance can be traced back to the third republic. 

Following the demise of military head of state General Sani Abacha, his successor General Abdulsalami Abubakar appointed el-Rufai as an economic advisor to the government. In this role, he worked with the World Bank and International Monetary Fund.

In 1999, when the military transferred power to President Olusegun Obasanjo. He was appointed the director of the Bureau of Public Enterprises and served as secretary of the National Council of Privatisation where he spear-headed the privatisation of several government-owned corporations alongside Vice President Atiku Abubakar.

In the second term of President Obasanjo, he was appointed the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory. During his tenure, he presided over a radical transformation of the federal capital earlier riddled with corruption and vast deviation from the original master plan.

After the espiration of his term as minister of the FCT, el-Rufai went into self-imposed exile and became a vocal critic of the Umaru Yar’Adua administration. He returned back to Nigeria in 2010 and was subsequently arrested by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) which he claimed his return was in order to clear his name of corruption charges.

In 2014, el-Rufai declared his intention to run for Governor of Kaduna, contesting the APC governorship primaries to emerge as the party’s candidate. He went on to win the governorship election, with over one million votes to defeat the incumbent Governor. In 2018, he contested for reelection and emerged the winner for a consecutive term in office. 

The el-Rufai administration was marked with controversies. In office, his first was adopting the treasury single account policy for the state. He ensured that the cost of governance was streamlined. He made sure over 400 accounts belonging to different Ministries were closed as it saved the state NGN24.7 billion which was remitted to the state TSA with the CBN. 

By blocking leakages and cutting the cost of running the government, it is estimated that the el-Rufai administration was able to save NGN1.2 billion in just two months.

His administration is however being praised in some quarters, in terms of education reforms.

Nenadi Usman

Nenadi Usman is a Nigerian politician who has served the country in various capacities over the years. Her wealth of experience in governance and leadership is quite unique and a daring role model to emulate. 

Her political journey started in the third republic when she served as a member of the Kaduna caucus of the defunct National Republican Convention (NRC). She was also a member-elect of the House of Representatives, representing Kachia/Kagarko Federal Constituency under the United Nigeria Congress Party in 1998. 

From 1999 to 2003, she served in two different capacities as commissioner for Environment & Natural Resources and later as Commissioner for Health for the state. 

Under the presidency of Obasanjo, she was appointed as the country’s minister of State for Finance and later the Minister of Finance. 

In the 2011 election, Nenadi declared her ambition to contest for a seat in the Senate. She returned to the poll and was elected Senator for Kaduna South running on the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) platform. An election victory which was disputed by the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN).

While in the senate, Nenadi has continually called for the government to give more attention to women and children, who she calls the most vulnerable members of society.

Nkeiruka Onyejeocha

Nkeiruka Chidubem Onyejeocha is a Nigerian politician and a ranking lawmaker in Nigeria’s Federal House of Representatives. She represents the good people of Isuikwuato/Umunneochi Federal Constituency of Abia. Onyejeocha is an active member of the Nigeria federal parliament and often contributes brilliantly to debates on critical national issues in the house. She has sponsored several bills and moved motions that have improved the lives of ordinary citizens and help safeguard their rights.

Onyejeocha’s career in politics started in 2002 when she served as the Executive Transition Chairman of Umunneochi Local Government Area of Abia before she was appointed to serve in the executive cabinet of Abia as commissioner for Resource Management and Manpower Development.

Onyejeocha was first elected to Nigeria’s Federal House of Representatives in 2007 on the platform of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP). Her legislative objectives focus on enacting laws to enhance the living standard of women and children; the youth and the less privileged; improvement of education, health, and general infrastructure.

In 2011 she was appointed chairman of the house committee on aviation which was at the time grappling with safety issues. Her oversight assignments led to the upgrade of Nigerian airports to international standard. Her aviation committee was uncompromising and diligent in its assignment that it became a reference to other committees of the house. 

She has served in different capacities on several committees of the house, making her quota to nation-building. Onyejeocha in 2019 declared her ambition to run for the speaker of 9th assembly of the Nigeria Federal House of Representatives after winning a return ticket to the house for a fourth term. With her experience as a ranking member of the house, Onyejocha was a front runner candidate with huge support. Onyejocha resigned from the race on the ground of allowing the party’s interest supersede individual interest.

Nyesom Wike

Ezenwo Nyesom Wike is a Nigerian politician and lawyer who is the sixth and current Governor of Rivers. He is a member of the People’s Democratic Party and an established political icon in Nigeria. 

Wike began his political career as the Executive Chairman of Obio Akpor Local Government Area in Rivers in 1999, a position he held until 2007, after being re-elected in 2003. 

After the end of his chairmanship term, Wike was appointed as the chief of staff to the governor of Rivers, Rotimi Amaechi. In 2011, he further went to be appointed as the Minister of State for Education by President Goodluck Jonathan and was promoted to Federal Minister of Education in September 2013. 

However, he resigned his post as an honourable minister to fuel his ambition for direct governance as a governorship aspirant in his state.

In the 2015 election, Wike was announced the winner. It was a victory that was fiercely contested by the opposition and charged to the election tribunal. 

In the 2019 reelection, INEC declared Nyesom Wike winner of the State governorship polls.

He contested for the PDP’s presidential ticket for 2023 but lost to Atiku.

Olamijuwonlo Alao-Akala

Olamiju’s interest in politics was largely influenced by his political father. He joined his father’s political campaign team in 2007, 2011, and 2015. 

After his father lost his re-election bid in 2011, Olamiju remained active in politics and gained tremendous popularity all over Oyo, most especially in Ogbomosho. This led to his appointment as Caretaker Chairman of Ogbomoso North Local Government by the Governor of Oyo, Senator Abiola Ajimobi. He is one of the three youngest Local Government Chairmen in the State.

On May 12, 2018, the Oyo Government conducted the Local Government elections and winning with majority votes in his LGA, Olamijuwonlo became the 20th Executive Chairman of Ogbomoso North Local Government.

Olagunsoye Oyinlola

Ọlagunsoye Oyinlọla is a Nigerian politician who previously served as an enlisted member of the Nigerian Army. He was appointed the military administrator of State from December 1993 till August 1996, during the subsequent administration of General Sani Abacha.

In April 2003, Ọlagunsoye Oyinlọla was elected governor of Osun as a member of the ruling People’s Democratic Party (PDP). In his bid to be re-elected in 2007, Oyinlola was declared the winner in an election that was generally regarded to be marred with widespread violence and irregularities.

After the 2007 election, the Congress governorship candidate, Rauf Aregbesola filed a petition with the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) against his victory. The tribunal rejected his petition. Aregbesola appealed the decision, leading to a fresh hearing in June 2009.[9]

A year to the end of his tenure in 2010, the Court of Appeal in Ibadan presided over by Justice Clara Ogunbiyi ruled that Oyinlola had not won the 2007 election and that the Action Congress candidate Rauf Aregbesola should be sworn in as governor.

On Thursday 21 September 2017, he was inaugurated as Chairman of the Governing board of the National Identity Management Commission, (NIMC).

His appointment was by President Muhammadu Buhari. In 2018, he resigned from his position as Chairman of NIMC.

Olumide Osoba

Olumide Osoba, a celebrated grassroots politician and entrepreneur par excellence is currently a member of the 9th House of Representatives and the Chairman, House Committee on Sports. Representative Olumide Babatunde Osoba is a true Egba son, politician, educator, and entrepreneur currently serving Abeokuta North/Obafemi-Owode/Odeda in the 9th House of Representatives. He is currently the Chairman, House of Representatives Committee on Sports.

Representative Osoba grew up very close to his parents and family elders who shaped his commitment to traditional values such as respect, hard work, commitment to God, honesty, and inclusiveness.  

In his childhood, he traveled extensively across Ogun suporting his father’s work, listening quietly to community leaders during grassroots “Labe Igi” meetings. This is where he noticed the needs of his people, including inequalities in education, access to economic opportunities, and poor basic infrastructures such as potable water, schools, and Primary Health Care centers. This experience as a child grounded him and fortified his desire to help others. At this young age, he helped organize educational programs for children as well as palliative support for the elderly.   

In 2011, at 34, Osoba developed an agenda based on accountability, economic improvement, and positive change. He was elected in a landslide victory of 62.6% votes. He served faithfully, frugally, and fought against any wasteful spending.

In June 2019, with the overwhelming support of his people, he was re-elected into office. Since his return to the office, Representative Olumide Babatunde Osoba has remained committed to providing educational and economic empowerment opportunities, and he remains an approachable and tireless advocate of the people.

Olusegun Mimiko

Olusegun Mimiko is a valiant Nigerian politician, a medical doctor, and a highly respected health consultant. His political career began at medical school in the University of Ife (now Obafemi Awolowo University), where he was a member of the Students’ Representatives Council (Parliament) and served as the public relations officer of the International Students’ Association of the institution from 1977 to 1978.

After graduating from the university in 1980 and completing his National Youth Service Corp year, Mimiko began practicing medicine. In 1985, he set up MONA MEDICLINIC in Ondo Town which served as a community charity center.

Mimiko’s first political appointment was as the commissioner of health and social services in Ondo from 1992 till 1993 when a military coup terminated the democratic Third Nigerian Republic. On the return to democratic government in Nigeria, Mimiko again served as a commissioner of health in Ondo from 1999 to 2002.

In 2003, he was appointed secretary to the Ondo Government (SSG). He held this position till July 2005, when he was appointed as the federal minister of housing and urban development. Mimiko resigned as a federal minister to contest for the governorship of Ondo against the incumbent, Olusegun Agagu in the 2007 elections. 

Mimiko won the keenly contested poll. But, influenced by former President Olusegun Obasanjo, the Independent National Electoral Commission announced Agagu as the winner. Mimiko challenged the outcome of the election in the courts in what turned out to be a two-year legal tussle that ended in him being declared the true winner of the governorship poll by a unanimous decision of the Tribunal Court, and the Court of Appeal in 2009. He went on to win re-election in 2012, beating his closest challenger, Olusola Oke of the People’s Democratic Party.

During Mimiko’s term as governor, his reforms in healthcare, education, community development, urban renewal, and the use of technology in governance were recognised nationally and internationally. After leaving office, Mimiko spent a year delivering public lectures and advocating for universal healthcare and good governance in Nigeria, London, and Washington DC. 

In September 2018, he declared his intention to run for president of Nigeria in the 2019 elections. He received the nomination as the presidential candidate of the Labor Zenith Party in October 2018. On November 14, 2018, Mimiko announced that he was suspending his presidential campaign, a few days before the campaign season was formally opened. He took up the Zenith Labor Party’s senatorial ticket for Ondo Central federal constituency. 

Omoyele Sowore

Omoyele “Yele” Sowore is a Nigerian human rights activist, pro-democracy campaigner, and founder of an online news agency Sahara Reporters. Sowore has been an active figure and a strong critic of erring governments. He started his activism while in university. On several occasions during the military regime, he led thousands of Nigerian students to the streets to protest against the poor welfarism and the alarming rate of corruption among top officials. 

Since the inception of President Buhari in office, he has been the face of his stern critic, calling for revolution against his government. This got Sowore arrested by the DSS in 2019 ahead of a planned nationwide #RevolutionNow protest. He was charged with “conspiracy to commit treason and insulting President Muhammadu Buhari”.

The court set Sowore free on 5 December 2019, confirming that he had settled his bail terms. However, there was a wind of change in the next change in court when DSS operatives evaded the premises to re-arrest him. He was finally released on 24 December 2019. 

On 25 February 2018, Sowore announced his intention to run for president in the 2019 Nigerian general election. In August 2018, he founded a political party, the African Action Congress (AAC), for which he will run in 2019. On 6 October 2018, following successful primary elections at the AAC’s national convention, Omoyele Sowore emerged unchallenged as the Presidential Candidate for the party. After touring many states in Nigeria, and visiting dignitaries such as the Emir of Kano and Wole Soyinka, Sowore embarked on a fundraising tour around the world including Australia, the United States of America and the UK. 

Sowore has announced his intention to run for the presidency in the 2023 presidential election on the mandate of the AAC. 

Pauline Tallen

Pauline Kedem Tallen is a Nigerian politician and the current Minister for Women Affairs Minister and Social Development. She was appointed in 2019 by President Muhammadu Buhari after turning down ambassadorial nomination in 2015 on the grounds that she was not consulted prior to the announcement of the appointment and that she would not accept the offer for equal distribution of power among the three senatorial districts of her native state of Plateau because she is from same local government as Governor Simon Lalong. 

In 1999, she was appointed Minister of State for science and technology to the cabinet of former president, Olusegun Obasanjo. In 2007, she became the deputy governor of Plateau and the first woman to be a deputy governor in northern Nigeria. She also contested to be governor of the state in 2011, but lost to Jonah Jang.

She is presently a member, board of trustees of All Progressive Congress, and was honoured as woman of the year for her contribution to Nigeria at the 10th African Icon of Our Generation Award. She is a board member of National Agency for Control of Aids (NACA).

Peter Obi 

Peter Gregory Obi is a Nigerian businessman and a selfless politician. He’s an outstanding entrepreneur and a brilliant banker. Peter Obi was a businessman before he ventured into politics. According to Peter Obi, he started his life as a trader, being born into a trading family before venturing into the corporate world. He held leadership positions in some private establishments. 

Peter Obi contested in the Anambra Governorship Election as a candidate for the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) party in 2003, but his opponent, Chris Ngige of the People’s Democratic Party, was declared winner by the Independent National Electoral Commission(INEC). 

After nearly three years of litigation, Ngige’s victory was overturned by the Court of Appeal. Obi took office on 17 March 2006. He was impeached by the state house of assembly after seven months in office and was replaced the next day by Virginia Etiaba, his deputy, making her the first-ever female governor in Nigeria’s history. Obi successfully challenged his impeachment and was reinstated as the governor by the Court of Appeal sitting in Enugu. 

Peter Obi once again left office on 29 May 2007 following the General Elections, in which Andy Uba was was declared the winner by the electoral body. Obi returned to the courts once more, this time contending that the four-year tenure he had won in the 2003 elections only started to run when he took office in March 2006. The Supreme Court of Nigeria upheld Obi’s contention and returned Obi to office. This brought to an abrupt end the tenure of Obi’s successor, Andy Uba whose 14 April 2007 election the Supreme Court nullified on the grounds that Obi’s four-year tenure should have remained undisturbed until March 2010. 

On 7 February 2010, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) declared Peter Obi the winner of the 2010 Anambra Gubernatorial election, where he defeated Professor Charles Chukwuma Soludo, former governor, CBN. This election victory gave Governor Obi an additional four years as the governor of Anambra.

After the 2015 General Election, President Goodluck Jonathan appointed Peter Obi as the chairman of the Nigerian Security and Exchange Commission (SEC).

In 2018, Peter Obi was named as the running mate to Atiku Abubakar, the Peoples Democratic Party’s Presidential Candidate in the Nigerian 2019 Presidential elections. His party came second. 

Peter Obi declared his intention to run for the position of President of Nigeria under the platform of the People’s Democratic Party in 2022, but later pulled out and announced he would be running under the Labor Party platform instead. Obi has clearly established himself as one of the candidates in the election top contender and is enjoying support from Nigerian youths on social media.  

Rabiu Kwankwaso 

Rabi’u Musa Kwankwaso is the national leader of the New Nigeria Peoples Party. Kwankwaso enjoys widespread support in Kano and north-western Nigeria; he has been viewed as a charismatic populist. 

In 1992, Kwankwaso made his entry into politics on the platform of the Social Democratic Party (SDP). He was a member of the People’s Front faction of the SDP led by General Shehu Yar’adua and other popular politicians.

He contested on the mandate of the party and was elected as a member of the House of Representatives representing Madobi Federal Constituency. His subsequent election as deputy speaker in the House brought him to the limelight of national politics.

During the 1995 Constitutional Conference, Kwankwaso was elected as one of the delegates from Kano, as a member of the People’s Democratic Movement led by Yar’adua. He later joined the Democratic Party of Nigeria (DPN) in the political transition program of General Sani Abacha. 

Kwankwaso joined the PDP in 1998 under the platform of People’s Democratic Movement in Kano led by Mallam Musa Gwadabe. 

Kwankwaso was elected for his first term as the governor of Kano State in 1999. His first tenure as the governor of Kano State was very eventful because of several other groups who were opposed to his high-handed governorship and his attempt at supporting Yoruba President Olusegun Obasanjo. In 2003, he lost re-election to his rival Malam Ibrahim Shekarau. From 2003 to 2007, Kwankwaso was appointed Minister of Defense in President Olusegun Obasanjo’s second cabinet, replacing Theophilus Danjuma

In 2007, Kwankwaso resigned his ministerial position to contest the Kano State governorship election but he lost because he had been indicted by a Government White Paper. Alhaji Ahmed Garba Bichi later replaced him as the governorship candidate of the party. After losing the bid from his party to contest the 2007 elections, he was appointed as the Special Envoy to Somalia and Darfur by President Olusegun Obasanjo; and was later appointed by President Umaru Yar’Adua as a Board Member of the Niger Delta Development Commission, a position he resigned from in 2010.

Kwankwaso was re-elected for a second term in office as governor of Kano State in the 2011 polls. During this time, he set out to rejig the political structure of Kwankwasiyya: building roads, hospitals and schools and sending residents to study abroad.

In August 2013, Kwankwaso was amongst seven serving governors who formed the G-7 faction within the People’s Democratic Party. In November 2013, Kwankwaso, alongside five members of the G-7, defected to the new opposition party, the All Progressives Congress (APC). 

In October 2014, Kwankwaso used his large political following in Kano to contest the APC presidential primaries. The presidential primaries results were held in Lagos. He was second behind Muhammadu Buhari, the incumbent president of Nigeria. Kwankwaso