Since the creation of Adamawa State in 1991 by the military administrator of Gen. Ibrahim Babangida, the state has produced 13 state governors including military administrators and elected governors.
Adamawa like Osun State came into being at a crucial time as Nigeria was warming up for a democratic dispensation.
Unfortunately, the military regime of Gen Ibrahim Babangida deliberately truncated the democratic rule by stepping aside and handing it over to an interim government.
IBB’s action paved the way for another military coup that brought Gen. Sani Abacha into power, so the administration of Governor Michika came to an end on November 17, 1993.
From that period till, May 29, 1999, the military governments appointed military administrators to oversee the affairs of the state.
At the time of publication, there were five military administrators in Adamawa between August 1991 and May 28, 1999, the last being Lt.Col Ahmadu Hussaini.
Below is the list of former governors of Adamawa from 1991 to date
| Governor | Administration | Assumption of office | Out of office | Political party |
| Air Commodore Abubakar Salihu | Military | Aug 27, 1991 | Jan 2, 1993 | Non |
| Alh Abubakar Saleh Michika | Democracy | Jan 2, 1992 | Nov 17, 1993 | NRC |
| Air Vice Marshall Gregory Agboneni | Military | Dec 9, 1993 | Sept 14, 1994 | Non |
| Com. Yohanna Madaki | Military | Sept 14, 1994 | Aug 22, 1996 | Non |
| Navy Captain Joe Kalu-Igboama | Military | Aug 22 1996 | August 1998 | Non |
| Lt.Col. Ahmadu Hussaini | Military | August 1998 | May 29, 1999 | Non |
| Boni Haruna | Democracy | May 29, 1999 | May 29, 2007 | PDP |
| Murtala Nyako | Democracy | May 29, 2007 | Feb 26, 2008 | PDP |
| James Shaibu Barka (Acting) | Democracy | Feb 26, 2008 | April 29, 2008 | PDP |
| Murtala Nyako | Democracy | Apr 29, 2008 | Jul 15, 2014 | PDP |
| Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri (Acting) | Democracy | Jul 15, 2014 | Oct 1, 2014 | PDP |
| Bala James Ngilari | Democracy | Oct 1, 2014 | May 29, 2015 | PDP |
| Bindo Jibrilla | Democracy | May 29, 2015 | May 29, 2019 | APC |
| Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri | Democracy | May 29, 2019 | Incumbent | PDP |
Note: Murtala Nyako is on the list of state governors that were impeached in Nigeria. He was a former military administrator of Niger State and a former Chief of Naval Staff during the military regime of IBB.
He joined PDP upon the inauguration of democracy in Nigeria in 1999 and succeeded Boni Haruna as an executive governor of Adamawa.
Who is the first military administrator of Adamawa State?
Air Commodore Abubakar Salihu was the first military administrator of Adamawa.
Who is the first executive governor of Adamawa State?
Alhaji Abubakar Saleh Michika was the first elected executive governor of Adamawa. Michika was sworn into office on January 2, 1992 till Nov 17, 1993 when Abacha overthrew the interim government of Ernest Shonekan.