List Of Imo State Governors, And Their Deputies (1999-Present)
This is a comprehensive list of all the governors who have served Imo State, Including their Deputies from 1999 till date:
Governor | Deputy Governor | Took office | Left office | Party |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Achike Udenwa | Udeagu | 29 May 1999 | 29 May 2007 | PDP |
Ikedi G. Ohakim | Viola Adaku Onwuliri | 29 May 2007 | 29 May 2011 | PPA / PDP |
Owelle Rochas Anayo Okorocha | Prince Eze Madumere | 29 May 2011 | 29 May 2019 | APC |
Emeka Ihedioha | Gerald Iroha | 29 May 2019 | 15 January 2020 | PDP |
Hope Uzodinma | Chinyere Ekomaru | 15 January 2020 | Incumbent | APC |
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Who Is The First Military Governor Of Imo State?
The first military governor of Imo State in Nigeria was Rear Admiral Ndubuisi Godwin Kanu. He took office in March 1976, after Imo State was created from parts of the former East Central State.
This change was part of a larger plan by General Olusegun Obasanjo’s military government to reorganize the country’s states to make them more efficient and better governed.
Ndubuisi Kanu was born on December 26, 1943, in Awo-Omamma, Imo State. He had a successful career in the Nigerian Navy, rising to the rank of Rear Admiral. However, his time as the military governor of Imo State lasted until July 1977.
After that, he was moved to be the governor of Lagos State. During his leadership in Imo State, Kanu worked hard to build and improve the state’s infrastructure.
His administration focused on constructing roads, schools, and healthcare facilities, which were essentials for the new state’s development. After Kanu, Admiral Adekunle Lawal took over as the military governor and continued in this role until 1978.
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Who Is The Current Governor Of Imo State In 2024?
As of 2024, the governor of Imo State in Nigeria is Hope Uzodinma. He has been serving as governor since January 15, 2020. Uzodinma came into office after a decision by Nigeria’s Supreme Court declared him the winner of the 2019 gubernatorial election.
His political party is the All Progressives Congress (APC). On January 15, 2024, Uzodinma was sworn in for his second term as governor, following his victory in the gubernatorial election held in November 2023.
Hope Uzodinma was born on December 12, 1958, in Omuma, Imo State. Uzodinma has an educational background that includes a diploma in Maritime Management Technology and a bachelor’s degree in International Studies and Diplomacy from Washington University in St. Louis.
Before he entered politics, Uzodinma was a successful businessman, which helped him build his political career. However, Uzodinma’s political career began in the Second Nigerian Republic when he joined the National Party of Nigeria (NPN) as a youth leader in Imo State.
Later, he was involved with the United Nigeria Congress Party and, after Nigeria returned to democracy in 1999, he joined the People’s Democratic Party (PDP).
He held various leadership roles within the PDP before switching to the APC in 2018 to run for governor. In 2011, Uzodinma was elected as a Senator for the Imo West Senatorial District and was re-elected in 2015.
After moving to the APC, he contested for the governorship of Imo State. Although he initially finished fourth in the 2019 gubernatorial election, he challenged the results.
The Supreme Court ruled in his favor in January 2020, declaring him the winner after finding he had been wrongly excluded from results in some polling units.
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Who Is The Current Deputy Of Imo State?
The current deputy governor of Imo State is Chinyere Ekomaru, having took office on January 15, 2024. Chinyere Ekomaru was chosen as the running mate of Governor Hope Uzodinma in the gubernatorial election held in November 2023.
Before her appointment, Placid Njoku was the deputy governor, serving alongside Governor Uzodinma since 2020. Chinyere Ekomaru is a lawyer from Umunoha, a community in Mbaitoli Local Government Area of Imo State.
Her husband, Chukwuma Ekomaru, is also a notable figure in politics, having been a governorship candidate for the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the state.
He is connected with Samuel Anyanwu, the current PDP gubernatorial candidate. The choice of Chinyere Ekomaru as deputy governor was seen as a strategic move by Governor Uzodinma.
Some reports suggest that Uzodinma’s decision was influenced by a desire to strengthen his political position, particularly by drawing support away from the PDP in the Mbaike political area, which includes Ikeduru and Mbaitoli Local Government Areas.
Another reason for selecting Ekomaru could be to appeal to the women voters in Imo State. At 64 years old, Governor Uzodinma is younger than his former deputy, Placid Njoku, who is 76 years old.
Placid Njoku, a professor and a major figure in education, was previously the first Vice-Chancellor of Michael Okpara University of Agriculture in Abia State. She began her duties on January 15, 2024, when she and Uzodinma took their oaths of office together in Owerri, the state capital.
