During the 2011 general elections that ushered another set of governors across the country, there was no governorship election in 10 out of 36 states because of earlier cases in the affected states leading into staggered elections.
As such, only 26 states participated in the April 2011 governorship election while 10 other states continue to complete their term.
Even with the violence that characterised the election in some parts of Nigeria, election results were declared with mostly favoured the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) at the time.
Before the 2011 elections, the major opposition party had undergone another reformation, leading to change of name from AD to AC then to the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN).
While election had earlier been held in some states, it should be noted that between 2011 to 2015, the ACN were in control of 6 states, ANPP was in charge of three states including Borno, Yobe, and Zamfara
The ruling party PDP which also produced Goodluck Jonathan as president was in charge of 23.
All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA) which has its stronghold in the southeast geopolitical zone controlled Imo and Anambra states.
Congress for Progressive Change under which Muhammadu Buhari contested as a presidential candidate won in Nasarawa. It’s was called Buhari’s party.
The period under review saw Olusegun Mimiko of Labour Party (LP), a former minister, who had kicked out Olusegun Mimiko on February 24, 2009, through a lawsuit was in charge of Ondo State.
The election in Adamawa state was the most controversial between 20111 to 2015 as Nyako was unceremoniously impeached from office on July 15 Jul 2014. Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri (PDP) was the acting Governor between July 15, 2014, to October 1, 2014
By October 1, 2014, Bala James Ngilari (PDP) assumed office till May 29, 20015
Below is a list of state governors in Nigeria between 2011 to 2015
| State | Governors | Comment | Political platform |
| Abia | Theodore Orji | Second term | PDP |
| Adamawa | Murtala Nyako | He was elected after April 2007 election was nullified | PDP |
| Anambra | Peter Obi | On his second term after the February 6, 2010 election in the state | APGA |
| Akwa Ibom | Godswill Akpabio | Second term | PDP |
| Bayelsa | Seriake Dickson | He was reelected on May 24, 2008, after the nullification of the April 2007 election | PDP |
| Bauchi | Isa Yudguda | Reelected for the second term | PDP |
| Benue | Gabriel Suswam | Reelected for a second term | PDP |
| Borno | Kashim Shettima | First-term | ANPP |
| Cross River | Liyel Imoke | He was reelected on August 23, 2008, after court nullification of his April 2007 election | PDP |
| Delta | Emmanuel Uduaghan | Reelected | PDP |
| Ebonyi | Martin Elechi | Reelected | PDP |
| Edo | Adams Oshiomhole | Oshiomhole assumed office on November 12, 2008, after winning an Appeal | ACN |
| Ekiti | Kayode Fayemi | October 15, 2010, after winning an Appeal. His term came to an end on Oct 16, 2014 | ACN |
| Enugu | Sullivan Chime | Second term | PDP |
| Gombe | Ibrahim Dankwambo | First-term | PDP |
| Imo | Rochas Okorocha | Okorocha was first elected as Imo governor on May 6, 2011 (rerun) | APGA |
| Jigawa | Sule Lamido | Second term | PDP |
| Kaduna | Yakowa to Yero | Yakowa became governor of Kaduna state on May 10, 2010, following the appointment of Namadi Sambo as the Vice President to Goodluck Jonathan. Sadly, Yakowa died in a helicopter crash on December 15, 2012, and Ramalan Yero was stepped in as the governor. | PDP |
| Kano | Rabiu Kwankwaso | He was one of the governors between 1999 to 2003, lost to ANPP in 2003, became back in 2011 and won | PDP |
| Katsina | Ibrahim Shema | Reelected | PDP |
| Kebbi | Usman Dakingari | Reelected | PDP |
| Kogi | Ibrahim Idris | Idris was re-elected on March 29, 2008, after the 2007 election was nullified | PDP |
| Kwara | Abdulfatah Ahmed | First-term | PDP |
| Lagos | Babatunde Fashola | Second term | ACN |
| Nasarawa | Umaru Tanko Al-Makura | First-term | CPC |
| Niger | Mu’azu Babangida Aliyu | Reelected | PDP |
| Ogun | Ibinkunle Amosun | First-term | ACN |
| Ondo | Segun Mimiko | He assume office on February 24, 2009, after the nullification of the election of PDP | LP |
| Osun | Rauf Aregbesola | Aregbesola assumed office on November 26, 2010, after the nullification of the election that brought Oyinlola to power | ACN |
| Oyo | Isiaka A Ajimobi | First-term | ACN |
| Plateau | Jonah Jang | Second term | PDP |
| Rivers | Rotimi Amaechi | Reelected | PDP |
| Sokoto | Aliyu Wamakko | Wamako was re-elected on May 28, 2008 after the nullification of his 2007 election | PDP |
| Taraba | Danbaba Suntai | Reelected | PDP |
| Yobe | Ibrahim Gaidam | ANPP | |
| Zamfara | Abdul’aziz Abubakar Yari | First term | ANPP |
Takeaway:
- Most of the elections in Nigeria are decided by the court
- No governor in Nigeria has been able to solve the issue of insecurity in their state
- Most of the state governors wait on allocation from the Federal Government to execute projects in their states
Featured image by vanguardngr