List Of Zamfara State Governors And Their Deputies (1999-Present)
This is the most comprehensive list of all the Governors who have served Zamfara state, Including their Deputies with their respective parties:
Governor | Deputy | Took Office | Left Office | Party |
---|---|---|---|---|
Ahmad Sani Yarima | Unknown | 29 May 1999 | 29 May 2007 | ANPP |
Mahmud Shinkafi | Unknown | 29 May 2007 | 29 May 2011 | ANPP |
Abdul'aziz Abubakar Yari | Unknown | 29 May 2011 | 29 May 2019 | ANPP/APC |
Bello Matawalle | Barr. Mahdi Mohammed Gusau, | |||
Hassan Nasiha | 29 May 2019 | 29 May 2023 | APC | |
Dauda Lawal | Mani Mallam Mummuni | 29 May 2023 | Incumbent | PDP |
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Who Was The First Governor Of Zamfara State?
The first civilian governor of Zamfara State was Ahmad Sani Yerima, who served from May 1999 to May 2007.
Yerima was born on July 22, 1960, in Anka town, Zamfara State.
He has worked as a teacher at Borno College of Basic Studies and held roles in the Sokoto state civil service, including economic planning officer and Director of Budget in the Ministry of Finance.
During his time as governor, Yerima was notable for implementing Sharia law in Zamfara State on January 27, 2000. This was the first time Sharia law was put into practice in any Nigerian state.
However, this decision was popular among the state’s Muslim majority but caused concerns among non-Muslims about their rights and freedoms.
Before Yerima’s governorship, Zamfara State was managed by military rulers.
Colonel Jibril Bala Yakubu was the first Administrator of the state, from October 1996 until the return to civilian rule in May 1999.
He made several administrative changes, including creating five Emirates and eleven District Councils.
After his two terms as governor, Yerima joined federal politics and was elected as a Senator for Zamfara West.
He worked on issues like anti-corruption and agriculture during his time In the Senate.
READ ALSO: List Of Sokoto State Governors And Their Deputies (1999-Present)
Who Is The Current Governor Of Zamfara State?
Dauda Lawal is the current Governor of Zamfara State in Nigeria, and he has been In office since May 29, 2023, after winning the election held on March 18, 2023.
Lawal, who is from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), won the election against the then-incumbent governor, Bello Matawalle of the All Progressives Congress (APC).
Lawal received 377,726 votes, while Matawalle got 311,976 votes. This victory was notable because it was only the second time an opposition candidate had defeated a sitting governor in Zamfara since Nigeria returned to civilian rule in 1999.
Born on September 2, 1965, in Wukari, Taraba State, Lawal has an impressive educational background.
He completed a Bachelor of Science degree in Political Science and Defense Studies from the Nigerian Defence Academy in 1994.
Later, he earned a Master’s degree in Legal Criminology & Security Psychology from the University of Ibadan in 2005 and another Master’s in Public Administration from Delta State University.
Lawal had a long career in the Nigerian Army, serving for 21 years. He then moved to the banking sector, where he worked as an Executive Director at First Bank of Nigeria Plc and helped advance Islamic banking in Nigeria.
Lawal is focused on tackling security issues like banditry and kidnapping in Zamfara State.
He is working to increase federal support and resources to improve security and is also concentrating on areas like agriculture, education, healthcare, and economic development.
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Who Is The Current Deputy Governor Of Zamfara State?
The current Deputy Governor of Zamfara State is Malam Mani Malam Mummuni.
He was born on April 14, 1961, in Masamar Mudi, which is in the Bukkuyum Local Government Area of Zamfara State.
Malam Mummuni’s early education started at a Qur’anic school run by his father, Naíbi Malam Mummuni.
He then attended Masama Primary School and graduated in 1978.
For further studies, he went to the Government Teachers College (GTC) in Maru and received a Grade II Teachers Certificate in 1984.
He continued his education at the Federal College of Education Kontagora, and he got a Nigeria Certificate in Education in 1990.
Malam Mummuni began his career in agriculture. In 1992, he was appointed as a T.H.U Supervisor by the Ministry of Agriculture in the old Sokoto State.
He later worked as the Officer in Charge of Agricultural Loans for different local governments.
However, his political journey began in 1996 when he was elected to the Zamfara State House of Assembly, representing Bukkuyum.
He was the Majority Leader from 2007 to 2011 and later as the Minority Leader. In the 2023 elections, he was chosen as the running mate to Dr.
Dauda Lawal from the People’s Democratic Party (PDP). They won the election, with Lawal becoming the second opposition candidate to defeat a sitting governor in Zamfara.