Tinubu’s Class Of 1999 Gov’s, What Happened To Them After Office
The 36 were the first elected civilian governors inaugurated on 29 May 1999, marking the beginning of the Fourth Republic.
CLASS OF 1999 GOVERNORS — WHERE ARE THEY NOW?
1. Abia — Orji Uzor Kalu 🟢 ALIVE
Kalu, a businessman, became Abia’s governor in 1999 and served two terms, leaving office in 2007. He subsequently became a senator representing Abia North and held the position of Senate Chief Whip/Majority Whip at different points. He remains active in national politics.
2. Adamawa — Boni Haruna 🟢 ALIVE
Haruna served as governor from 1999 to 2007, winning a second term in 2003. After leaving office, he largely moved away from the centre of electoral politics, although he has remained involved in political activities.
3. Akwa Ibom — Victor Attah 🟢 ALIVE
Attah governed Akwa Ibom from 1999 to 2007. He became an influential elder statesman from the state and has continued to comment on national and regional affairs.
4. Anambra — Chinwoke Mbadinuju 🔴 DECEASED
Mbadinuju, a former academic and political figure, governed Anambra from 1999 to 2003. He lost his bid for a second term. He dïed on 11 April 2023 at the National Hospital in Abuja after an ïllness.
5. Bauchi — Adamu Mu’azu 🟢 ALIVE
Mu’azu served as Bauchi governor from 1999 to 2007. After leaving office, he became national chairman of the PDP in 2014 and resigned following the party’s defeat in the 2015 presidential election.
6. Bayelsa — Diepreye Alamieyeseigha 🔴 DECEASED
Alamieyeseigha was Bayelsa’s first elected governor and served from 1999 until his impeachment in 2005. He was subsequently convicted on corruption-related charges and received a presidential pardon in 2013. He dïed in 2015 at the University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital.
7. Benue — George Akume 🟢 ALIVE
Akume served two terms as Benue governor, from 1999 to 2007. He subsequently served in the Senate, became a federal minister under President Muhammadu Buhari and, in 2023, became Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF) under President Tinubu.
8. Borno — Mala Kachalla 🔴 DECEASED
Kachalla governed Borno from 1999 to 2003 under the APP/ANPP. He later moved between political parties but failed to regain the governorship. He dïed in 2007, aged 66.
9. Cross River — Donald Duke 🟢 ALIVE
Duke governed Cross River from 1999 to 2007. He became particularly known nationally for his tourism and development initiatives during his tenure and later sought the presidency in 2019.
10. Delta — James Ibori 🟢 ALIVE
Ibori served as Delta governor from 1999 to 2007. He subsequently became the subject of major corruption proceedings in Nigeria and the United Kingdom and was convïcted in the UK in 2012. He later returned to Nigeria and has remained a prominent political figure in Delta politics.
11. Ebonyi — Sam Egwu 🟢 ALIVE
Egwu was the first elected governor of Ebonyi State and served from 1999 to 2007. He subsequently became Minister of Education and later a senator. He remains active in national politics and attended the 2025 Class of ’99 gathering.
12. Edo — Lucky Igbinedion 🟢 ALIVE
Igbinedion governed Edo from 1999 to 2007. He is a member of the prominent Igbinedion family and returned to business and other activities after leaving office.
13. Ekiti — Niyi Adebayo 🟢 ALIVE
Adebayo was Ekiti’s first elected governor, serving from 1999 to 2003. He subsequently became a federal minister and remains involved in the APC.
14. Enugu — Chimaroke Nnamani 🟢 ALIVE
Nnamani, a medical doctor, served as Enugu governor from 1999 to 2007. He subsequently served in the Senate and returned to the Senate in 2019. He contested the 2023 senatorial election but lost his seat.
15. Gombe — Abubakar Habu Hashidu 🔴 DECEASED
Hashidu was Gombe’s first elected governor, serving from 1999 to 2003. He lost his re-election bid in 2003. He dïed on 27 July 2018 after an ïllness.
16. Imo — Achike Udenwa 🟢 ALIVE
Udenwa served as Imo governor from 1999 to 2007. He subsequently became Minister of Commerce and Industry under President Umaru Yar’Adua. He has largely remained outside frontline electoral politics in recent years.
17. Jigawa — Ibrahim Saminu Turaki 🟢 ALIVE
Turaki governed Jigawa from 1999 to 2007. He subsequently served as a senator and remained involved in national politics. He was among the Class of ’99 governors present at the 2023 reunion.
18. Kaduna — Ahmed Makarfi 🟢 ALIVE
Makarfi governed Kaduna for two terms, from 1999 to 2007. He later became a senator and served as national chairman of the PDP during the party’s factional crisis. He remains an important figure in northern Nigerian politics.
19. Kano — Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso 🟢 ALIVE
Kwankwaso served his first term as Kano governor from 1999 to 2003. He returned as governor in 2011 and served until 2015. Between those periods he served as Defence Minister and later became a senator. He founded the political movement popularly associated with the Kwankwasiyya.
19. Kano — Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso 🟢 ALIVE
Kwankwaso served his first term as Kano governor from 1999 to 2003. He returned as governor in 2011 and served until 2015. Between those periods he served as Defence Minister and later became a senator. He founded the political movement popularly associated with the Kwankwasiyya movement and contested the presidency in 2019 and 2023.
20. Katsina — Umaru Musa Yar’Adua 🔴 DECEASED
Yar’Adua left the governorship in 2007 and became President of Nigeria in 2007. He dïed in office on 5 May 2010. He is therefore the first of the Class of ’99 to have become president, although Bola Tinubu later became the second.
21. Kebbi — Adamu Aliero 🟢 ALIVE
Aliero served as Kebbi governor from 1999 to 2007. He later became Minister of the Federal Capital Territory and subsequently a senator. He returned to the Senate in 2023 and, notably, secured the APC ticket for another Senate contest in the 2026 primaries.
22. Kogi — Abubakar Audu 🔴 DECEASED
Audu had previously been Kogi’s governor during the short-lived Third Republic and returned to office in 1999. He later contested the governorship again under the APC in 2015. He won the election but dïed on 22 November 2015, before the legal process surrounding the election was completed.
23. Kwara — Mohammed Lawal 🔴 DECEASED
Lawal, a former naval officer, became Kwara governor in 1999 under the APP. He lost his re-election bid in 2003 to Bukola Saraki. Lawal dïed in November 2006 in London after a brief ïllness.
24. Lagos — Bola Ahmed Tinubu 🟢 ALIVE
Tinubu governed Lagos from 1999 to 2007. After leaving office, he became one of the major figures in the formation and development of the APC. He contested and won the 2023 presidential election, becoming the second member of the Class of ’99 to become President of Nigeria. In 2025, he hosted surviving members of his former class at the State House.
25. Nasarawa — Abdullahi Adamu 🟢 ALIVE
Adamu became Nasarawa’s first elected governor in 1999 and served two terms. He subsequently became a senator and, in 2022, national chairman of the APC. He resigned from that position in 2023.
26. Niger — Abdulkadir Kure 🔴 DECEASED
Kure governed Niger State from 1999 to 2007. His administration introduced Sharia in the state in 2000 and pursued reforms in areas including education. He dïed in 2017.
27. Ogun — Olusegun Osoba 🟢 ALIVE
Osoba had already been governor of Ogun State during the aborted Third Republic, from 1992 to 1993. He returned as governor in 1999 under the AD and served until 2003. A veteran journalist, he has remained an influential elder statesman and political figure. He was among the surviving Class of ’99 members at the 2023 reunion.
28. Ondo — Adebayo Adefarati 🔴 DECEASED
Adefarati governed Ondo from 1999 to 2003. He lost his bid for a second term to Olusegun Agagu. In 2007 he was selected as the AD presidential candidate but dïed only weeks before the election, aged 76.
29. Osun — Bisi Akande 🟢 ALIVE
Akande governed Osun from 1999 to 2003. He later became the first interim chairman of the APC following the party’s formation in 2013. He remains an influential elder statesman in Nigerian politics.
30. Oyo — Lamidi Adesina 🔴 DECEASED
Adesina was Oyo governor from 1999 to 2003 under the AD. A veteran politician and former teacher, he remained active in political affairs after leaving office. He dïed in November 2012.
31. Plateau — Joshua Dariye 🟢 ALIVE
Dariye served as Plateau governor from 1999 to 2007. He later became a senator. He was convicted in a corruption case and imprisoned, but President Muhammadu Buhari granted him a presidential pardon in 2022.
32. Rivers — Peter Odili 🟢 ALIVE
Odili governed Rivers State from 1999 to 2007. A medical doctor and politician, he subsequently remained an influential figure in Rivers and national politics.
33. Sokoto — Attahiru Bafarawa 🟢 ALIVE
Bafarawa governed Sokoto from 1999 to 2007. He subsequently became involved in national politics and contested for the presidency in 2019 under the PDP.
34. Taraba — Jolly Nyame 🟢 ALIVE
Nyame served as Taraba governor from 1999 to 2007. He was subsequently convicted on corruption charges and sentenced to prisøn. President Buhari later granted him a presidential pardon in 2022.
35. Yobe — Bukar Abba Ibrahim 🔴 DECEASED
Bukar Ibrahim was elected Yobe governor in 1999 and served until 2007. He had also been governor during the early 1990s military transition period. He subsequently served as a senator representing Yobe East. He dïed on 4 February 2024.
36. Zamfara — Ahmad Sani Yerima 🟢 ALIVE
Yerima became Zamfara’s first elected governor in 1999 and served two terms. His administration became nationally notable after Zamfara introduced Sharia criminal law in 2000. He subsequently became a senator and remained active in national politics.
While 25 are alive, 11 are dēad.
WHAT MAKES THE CLASS OF ’99 REMARKABLE?
The group produced two Presidents of Nigeria:
Umaru Musa Yar’Adua and
Bola Ahmed Tinubu
It also produced a Secretary to the Government of the Federation (George Akume), several senators, federal ministers, national party chairmen and other major political figures.
COURTESY: ETHNIC AFRICAN STORIES
