Ever since the formation of the office of Vice President in Nigeria in 1966, there have been 14 Vice Presidents, if you don’t add Kashim Shettima who is yet to be sworn in alongside President-elect, Bola Tinubu. This figure takes into account the Vice Presidents that served under military rule as well as those that served under civilian rule. In this article, we’d mention the 14 Vice Presidents to date and state whether they served under military rule or a democratic dispensation. We’d also indicate the length of their stay as Vice President as well as mention the President or Head of State on the seat when they held that position.
Read on.
The list of Nigerian Vice Presidents would be discussed below:
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Brigadier Babafemi Ogundipe
Brigadier Babafemi Ogundipe was the Vice President of Major General Johnson Aguiyi-Johnson’s central military government. He assumed the position of Chief of Staff, at Supreme Headquarters (on January 16, 1966, and on July 29, 1966, he was deposed. He spent a total of 194 days in office.
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Vice Admiral Joseph Edet Akinwale Wey
Vice Admiral Joseph Edet Akinwale Wey served as Chief of Staff, at Supreme Headquarters during the federal military government regime of General Yakubu Gowon. He assumed the office on August 1, 1966, and remained in that position until July 29, 1975, when he was deposed. He spent 8 years, 362 days in office.
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Lieutenant General Olusegun Obasanjo
As a Lieutenant General, Olusegun Obasanjo was the Chief of Staff, at Supreme Headquarters under the federal military government regime of General Murtala Muhammed. He assumed the position on July 29, 1975, until February 13, 1975, when he became the Head of State following the assassination of General Murtala Muhammed.
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Major General Shehu Musa Yar’Adua
Major General Shehu Musa Yar’Adua took the place of Olusegun Obasanjo as Chief of Staff, Supreme Headquarters when the latter became Head of State following the assassination of General Murtala Muhammed. He assumed office on February 13, 1976. He remained in that position until September 30, 1979, when the military handed over power to the civilian government of Shehu Shagari.
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Alex Ifeanyichukwu Ekwueme
Alex Ekwueme became the First elected President, serving under Alhaji Shehu Shagari’s civilian administration. He assumed office on October 1, 1979, and was deposed from the position on December 31, 1983. He spent 4 years, in 91 days as Vice President.
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Major General Tunde Idiagbon
After the Second Nigerian Republic was overthrown by a coup d’état and Major General Muhammadu Buhari became Head of State, Major General Tunde Idiagbon was appointed to be the Chief of Staff, Supreme Headquarters. He assumed office on December 31, 1983, and remained in that position until he was deposed on August 27, 1985. He spent 1 year and 239 days as military vice president of the Supreme Military Council.
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Commodore Ebitu Ukiwe
Commodore Ebitu Ukiwe was the Chief of General Staff of the Armed Forces Ruling Council headed by General Ibrahim Babaginda. Commodore Ebitu Ukiwe occupied that position from August 27, 1985, until he resigned in October 1986. He spent a total of 1 year and 35 days as the military vice president of General IBB’s Armed Forces Ruling Council.
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Admiral Augustus Aikhomu
After the resignation of Commodore Ebitu Ukiwe as Chief of General Staff under the military government of General IBB in October 1986, Admiral Augustus Aikhomu became the military vice president. He assumed the position in October 1986 until August 26, 1993, when IBB handed over to Ernest Shonekan’s interim government. He spent a total of 6 years and 329 days as Chief of General Staff of the IBB’s military regime.
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Lieutenant Donaldson Oladipo Diya
There was no Vice President during the 83-day-long interim government of Ernest Shonekan as MKO Abiola turned down the offer stating he was the rightful successor to the presidency. On November 17, 1993, General Sani Abacha led a bloodless coup d’état that took power from Ernest Shonekan. Lieutenant Donaldson Oladipo Diya became the military vice president of Nigeria. He spent 4 years and 34 days as military vice president, starting from November 17, 1993, until he was deposed and arrested for an attempted coup on December 21, 1997.
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Vice Admiral Michael Akhigbe
When General Sani Abacha died and General Abdulsalami became Head of State in his stead on June 9, 1998, Vice Admiral Michael Akhigbe assumed the position of military vice president of Nigeria. He remained in office until May 29, 1999, when the Provisional Ruling Council headed by General Abdulsalami Abubakar handed over power to the elected civilian government of Olusegun Obasanjo.
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Atiku Abubakar
Atiku Abubakar was a two-term Vice President from May 29, 1999, to May 29, 2007. He was elected alongside Olusegun Obasanjo under the umbrella of the People’s Democratic Party.
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Goodluck Ebele Jonathan
Goodluck Ebele Jonathan became Vice President of Nigeria on May 29, 2007, following the victory of the People’s Democratic Party at the 2007 presidential polls. He served as Vice President under President Yar’Adua from May 29, 2007, until May 5, 2010, when the latter died. He was sworn in as President per the provisions of the Nigerian Constitution.
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Namadi Sambo
Namadi Sambro was picked by Goodluck Ebele Jonathan to be his Vice on May 19, 2010. He occupied the position of the Vice President of Nigeria for 5 years and 10 days until May 29, 2015, following defeat by the All Progressives Congress in the 2015 presidential elections.
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Yemi Osibanjo
Yemi Osibanjo is the incumbent Vice President of Nigeria, assuming office on May 29, 2015, alongside President Muhammadu Buhari. Having been elected twice alongside Muhammadu Buhari, Yemi Osibanjo is serving an 8-year tenure which will end May 29, 2023.
Kindly note the positions of Chief of Staff Supreme Headquarters and Chief of General Staff in military government are equal to the position of a Vice President in civilian administration. When IBB took over power from Muhammadu Buhari in 1985, the position of Chief of Staff, Supreme Headquarters became known as Chief of General Staff.