The most strategically planned coup in the history of Nigeria is the August 27, 1985 coup which oust the regime of Muhammadu Buhari. Buhari later admitted that he was aware that some soldiers led by Babangida were planning to overthrow his regime.
Upon assumption of office through the guns assisted by one of the deadliest coup strategists Sani Abacha, General Ibrahim Badamosi Babangida (IBB), new military administrators were appointed while some were redeployed to other states.
At the time, there were 19 states in Nigeria. But on September 23, 1987, two more states were created and military governors were appointed by the military head of state (Akwa Ibom carved out of Cross River and Katsina was carved out from Kaduna).
By August 27, 1991, Babangida created additional six states to mark the 6th celebration of his regime and seizing power, bringing the number of states to 30.
It must be noted it was the regime of Babangida that initiated the aborted Third Republic. Chief Moshood Abiola (popularly called M.K.O) won the presidential election, but IBB annulled the election.
Before that, he made sure that governorship elections were conducted towards the end of 1991 and by January 1992, elected state governors of the aborted-third republic were sworn-in throughout the country.
Before the aborted third republic, there were state administrators, below is the list of state military administrators during the regime of Babangida.
Why were they called administrators?
There were called military administrators because they were not elected and could be replaced or redeployed anytime by the military head of state (that came to power through the back door)
Note: The elected governors of 1991 were in office between January 1992 to November 17, 1993, when Shonekan was led out of the Presidential Villa with guns and Abacha appointed new military administrators.
So, who are the military administrators between 1985 to 1992?
| State | Military Administrators | Years in Office |
| Anambra | Samson Omeruah Robert Akonobi Herbert Eze Joseph Abulu | August 1985 – December 1987 December 1987 – August 1990 August 1990 – August 1991 August 27, 1991 – 1 January 2, 1992 |
| Bauchi | Chris Abutu Garuba Joshua Madaki Abu Ali | August 1985 – December 1987 December 1987 – August 1990 September 4, 1990 – January 2, 1992 |
| Bendel | John Mark Inienger Tunde Ogbeha John Ewerekumoh Yeri | August 1985 – December 1987 Dec 1987 – Aug 1990 August 1990 – August 1991 |
| Borno | Abdulmumini Aminu Abdul One Mohammed Mohammed Maina Mohammed Buba Marwa | August 1985 – August 1988 December 1987 – December 1989 December 1989 – June 1990 June 1990 – January 2, 1992 |
| Benue | Jonah David Jang Yohanna Madaki Ishaya Bakut Idris Garba Fidelis Makka | August 1985 – August 1986 August 1986 – September 1986 September 18, 1986 – December 1987 1987–1988 July 21, 1988 – January 2 1992 |
| Cross Rivers | Dan Archibong Eben Ibim Princewill Ernest Attah | January 1984 – 1986 1986 – December 1989 December 1989 – January 1992 |
| Gongola | Yohanna Madaki Jonah David Jang Isa Mohammed Abubakar Salihu | August 1985 – August 1986 August 1986 – December 1987 December 1987 – December 1989 December 1989 – August 27, 1991 |
| Imo | Allison Amaechina Madueke Amadi Ikwechegh Anthony Oguguo | August 1985 – 1986 August 29, 1986 – September 2, 1989 August 1990 – January 1992 |
| Kano | Ahmed Muhammad Daku Mohammed Ndatsu Umaru Idris Garba | August 27, 1985 – 1987 December 1987 – July 27, 1988 August 1988 – January 1992 |
| Kaduna | Dangiwa Umar Abdullahi Sarki Mukhtar Abubakar Tanko Ayuba | August 1985 – June 1988 July 1988 – August 1990 August 1990 – 2 January 1992 |
| Lagos | Gbolahan Mudasiru Mike Akhigbe Raji Rasaki | January 1984 – August 1986 August 1986 – July 1988 1988–1991 |
| Niger | David Mark Garba Ali Mohammed Lawan Gwadabe | 1986 – December 1987 December 1987 – January 1992 |
| Kwara | Mohammed Ndatsu Umaru Ahmed Abdullahi Ibrahim Alkali Alwali Kazir | August 1985 – December 1987 December 1987 – July 1988 July 1988 – December 1989 December 1989 – January 1992 |
| Ondo | Mike Akhigbe Ekundayo Opaleye Raji Rasaki Bode George Sunday Abiodun Olukoya | September 1985 – August 1986 August 26, 1986 – 17 December 17, 1987 December 17, 1987 – July 1988 July 1988 – September 1990 September 3, 1990 – January 1992 |
| Ogun | Oladayo Popoola Raji Rasaki Mohammed Lawal Oladeinde Joseph | August 1985 – 1986 1986 – December 1987 December 1987 – August 1990 August 1990 – January 1992 |
| Oyo | Tunji Olurin Sasaenia Oresanya Abdulkareem Adisa | September 1985 – July 1988 July 27, 1988 – August 1990 August 1990 – January 1992 |
| Plateau | Chris Alli Lawrence Onoja Aliyu Kama Joshua Madaki | August 1985 – 1986 1986 – July 1988 July 1988 – August 1990 August 1990 – January 1992 |
| Rivers | Anthony Ukpo Ernest Olawunmi Adelaye Godwin Abbe | August 26, 1986 – July 1988 July 1988 – August 1990 August 1990 – January 1992 |
| Sokoto | Garba Mohammed Ahmed Muhammad Daku Bashir Salihi Magashi | August 1985 – December 1987 December 1987 – August 1990 August 1990 – January 1992 |
Creation of two states in 1987
On September 23, 1987, the regime of Babangida announced the creation of more two states: 1) Katsina out of Kaduna, 2) Akwa Ibom out of Cross River, to bring the number to 21.
| States | Administrators | Years in Office |
| Akwa Ibom | Tunde Ogbeha Godwin Abbe Idongesit Nkanga | September 28, 1987 – July 30, 1988 July 31, 1988 – September 5, 1990 September 5, 1990 – January 2, 1992 |
| Katsina | Abdullahi Sarki Mukhtar Lawrence Onoja John Madaki | September 1987 – July 1988 July 1988 – December 1989 December 1989 – January 2, 1992 |
Creation of nine states in 1991
On August 27, 1991, the Babangida regime in a broadcast announced the creation of nine states from the existing ones. The new states and their administrators are listed below:
| States | Military Administrators | Years in Office |
| Abia from Imo | Frank Ajobena | August 28, 1991 – January 1992 |
| Adamawa from Gongola | Abubakar Salihu | August 27, 1991 – January 1992 |
| Delta from Bendel | Luke Chijiuba Ochulor | August 28, 1991 – January 2, 1992 |
| Enugu from Anambra | Herbert Eze | August 1991 – January 1992 |
| Jigawa from Kano | Olayinka Sule | August 28, 1991 – January 1, 1992 |
| Kebbi from Sokoto | Patrick Aziza | August 28, 1991 – January 1992 |
| Kogi from Benue and Kwara | Danladi Mohammed Zakari | August 28, 1991 – January 1992 |
| Osun | Leo Segun Ajiborisha | August 27, 1991 – January 1, 1992 |
| Yobe | Sani Daura Ahmed | August 27, 1991 – January 2, 1992 |
Sources
- Featured image by Daily Post
- Channels Television (January 21, 2019). “Buhari Reveals What Idiagbon Did When He Was Overthrown In 1985”. Channelstv.com. Retrieved March 20, 2022