List of governors of Anambra State

Map of Nigeria showing Anambra State

Location of Anambra State in Nigeria

Anambra State, located in the South East geopolitical zone of Nigeria, has been governed by a succession of military governors, administrators, and elected governors since its formation on 3 February 1976 when the former East Central State was divided into Anambra and Imo. This action was part of a nationwide state-creation exercise under the military regime of Murtala Mohammed. Before 1976, the area lay within the Eastern Region. After the regional system was dissolved on 27 May 1967 by Yakubu Gowon during the Nigerian Civil War, the Eastern Region was split into East Central State, Rivers State, and South-Eastern State.Template:Efn East Central State covered much of the Igbo-speaking area until its division in 1976. During that period, Ukpabi Asika served as administrator until 1975, followed by Anthony Ochefu until the state's dissolution. The capital, Enugu, became capital of the newly formed Anambra State and later of Enugu State. From its creation in 1976, Anambra State was governed by military appointees: John Atom Kpera (March 1976–July 1978) and Datti Sadiq Abubakar (July 1978–October 1979). With the advent of the Second Republic in October 1979, Jim Nwobodo of the Nigerian Peoples Party (NPP) served as the first civilian governor (October 1979–December 1983), succeeded briefly by Christian Onoh of the National Party of Nigeria (NPN) (October–December 1983). Military rule returned in late 1983, and between 1984 and 1992 the state was led by Allison Madueke (1984–1985), Samson Omeruah (1985–1987), Robert Akonobi (1987–1990), and Herbert Eze (1990–1992), with Joseph Abulu serving briefly in 1991.

During the Third Republic, Chukwuemeka Ezeife of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) held office from January 1992 until the 1993 coup. Subsequent administrators included Dabo Aliyu, Mike Attah (1993–1996), Rufai Garba (1996–1998), and Emmanuel Ukaegbu (1998–1999). With the return of democracy under the Fourth Republic in 1999, elected governors have been: Chinwoke Mbadinuju of the People's Democratic Party (PDP) (1999–2003); Chris Ngige (PDP, 2003–2006); Peter Obi of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) (March 2006–November 2006; reinstated February 2007–March 2014); Virginia Etiaba (November 2006–February 2007); Andy Uba (May 2007; 16 days); Willie Obiano (APGA, 2014–2022); and Charles Chukwuma Soludo (APGA, March 2022–present).

List of governors

Eastern Region

Before Nigeria's independence in 1960, the territory that now constitutes Anambra State was part of the Eastern Region, one of the country's original administrative divisions.Template:Sfn During the colonial era, British officials governed the Eastern Region, with Clement Pleass (1954–1956) and Robert Stapledon (1956–1960) serving as governors. After independence, Francis Akanu Ibiam (1960–1966) became the first Nigerian governor of the Eastern Region, while Michael Okpara served as its premier (1960–1966). However, following Nigeria’s first military coup in January 1966, the military abolished the regional system, dismissed civilian premiers, and appointed military administrators, with Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu governing the Eastern Region from January 1966 until its dissolution in May 1967.Template:Sfn A premier was responsible for the region's executive functions. Administrators were usually appointed to rule a state when there is a political crisis or state of emergency.Template:Sfn

East Central State

East Central State was created on 27 May 1967 by the military government of Yakubu Gowon as part of a national restructuring effort that dissolved the regional system and replaced it with twelve states.Template:Sfn The new state was carved out of the former Eastern Region and was composed predominantly of Igbo-speaking populations.Template:SfnTemplate:Sfn Its capital was Enugu.Template:Sfn

The state existed from 1967 until 3 February 1976, when it was divided into two separate states—Anambra and Imo—under the nationwide state-creation exercise carried out by the military regime of Murtala Mohammed.Template:SfnTemplate:Sfn Over time, further subdivisions from the original East Central territory would lead to the creation of Enugu State (1991), Ebonyi State (1996), and Abia State (1991).Template:Sfn During its nine-year existence, East Central State was governed entirely by military-appointed officials. The first was Ukpabi Asika, who was appointed as administrator in 1967 and remained in office until July 1975. His tenure covered the entire duration of the Nigerian Civil War (1967–1970), during which he oversaw the East Central State government’s efforts to manage war-related devastation, provide relief, and reintegrate the region into Nigeria.Template:Sfn In July 1975, he was replaced by Anthony Ochefu, a military officer who governed the state until its dissolution in February 1976.Template:Sfn

A military governor was the head of a state during Nigeria's military era, appointed by the head of the federal military government to administer states, as established by Decree No. 14 of 1967. He exercised executive powers on behalf of the central military government. In contrast, an executive governor is the democratically elected chief executive of a state under the 1999 Constitution, empowered to lead the state government, implement laws, and oversee public administration. The deputy governor is elected on the same ticket as the governor and serves as the second-in-command, assuming the governorship in the event of the governor's death, incapacitation, or resignation, and assisting in administrative duties as assigned.

Anambra State

Anambra State was created on 3 February 1976 from the division of the former East Central State by the military government of Murtala Mohammed.Template:Sfn This state-creation exercise increased the number of states in Nigeria from twelve to nineteen.Template:Sfn The new Anambra State initially retained Enugu as its capital. Between 1976 and 1991, the state included areas that would later become Enugu State.Template:SfnTemplate:Sfn A subsequent subdivision on 27 August 1991 by the military government of Ibrahim Babangida led to the creation of Enugu State,Template:SfnTemplate:Sfn with the present-day Anambra State retaining Awka as its capital.

Anambra State, like other states in Nigeria during the military era, was governed by appointed military administrators. The first military governor was John Atom Kpera, who served from March 1976 to July 1978, followed by Datti Sadiq Abubakar until the return to civilian rule in 1979. Under the Second Republic, the state elected Jim Nwobodo of the Nigerian Peoples Party (NPP), who governed from 1979 until the military coup in December 1983.Template:Sfn He was succeeded briefly by Christian Onoh of the National Party of Nigeria (NPN). Following the 1983 coup, Anambra State returned to military administration, with a succession of governors appointed between 1984 and 1992. These included Allison Madueke, Samson Omeruah, Robert Akonobi, and Herbert Eze. In 1991, during this military period, Joseph Abulu was also appointed as administrator.

Civilian rule was again attempted during the short-lived Third Republic, with Chukwuemeka Ezeife of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) elected as governor from January 1992 until the military annulled the republic in November 1993. The military subsequently appointed Dabo Aliyu, Mike Attah, Rufai Garba, and Emmanuel Ukaegbu to govern the state from 1993 to 1999. Democratic governance returned with the start of the Fourth Republic in 1999. Chinwoke Mbadinuju of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) was elected as governor, serving until 2003, followed by Chris Ngige of the same party. Ngige's tenure was nullified by the Court of Appeal in March 2006, which upheld Peter Obi's challenge to the 2003 election results and declared him the rightful winner; Obi was sworn in shortly after as governor under the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA). In November 2006, Obi was impeached and replaced by his deputy, Virginia Etiaba, who became Nigeria's first female governor; however, the Court of Appeal overturned the impeachment in February 2007, reinstating Obi. Andy Uba was briefly sworn in as governor on 29 May 2007 following the 2007 election, but his tenure was nullified by the Supreme Court after 16 days on the grounds that Peter Obi's four-year term, which began in March 2006, had not yet expired. After concluding his term in 2014, Obi was succeeded by Willie Obiano, also of the APGA, who served two terms from 2014 to 2022. Charles Chukwuma Soludo was elected under the APGA platform and sworn into office on 17 March 2022 and is the incumbent governor.

Military governors, administrators and civilian governors of Anambra State

№	Governor		Term in office	Party		Election	D. Governor
1	—	John Kpera (Template:Born in)	Template:Dts – July 1978		Military governor	—	Office did not exist
2	Datti Abubakar wearing a traditional cap	Datti Abubakar	Template:Dts – October 1979
3	—	Jim Nwobodo (Template:Born in) Template:Sfn	Template:Dts – October 1983	style="background:Template:Party color;"|	NPP Template:Sfn	1979 Template:Sfn
4	Christian Onoh wearing native attire	Christian Onoh (Template:Born in, Template:Died in)	Template:Dts – December 1983	style="background:Template:Party color;"|	NPN	1983 Template:Sfn	—
5	—	Allison Madueke (Template:Born in)	Template:Dts – August 1985		Military governor	—	Office abolished
6	Samson Omeruah in military uniform	Samson Omeruah (Template:Born in, Template:Died in)	Template:Dts – December 1987
7	—	Robert Akonobi (Template:Born in) Template:Sfn	Template:Dts – August 1990
8	—	Herbert Eze (Template:Born in) Template:Sfn	Template:Dts – August 1991
9	—	Joseph Abulu	Template:Dts – January 1992		Military administrator
10	Chukwuemeka Ezeife wearing a traditional cap, speaking with a microphone	Chukwuemeka Ezeife (Template:Born in, Template:Died in) Template:Sfn	Template:Dts – November 1993	style="background:Template:Party color;"|	SDP	1991
11	Dabo Aliyu in military uniform	Dabo Aliyu (Template:Born in, Template:Died in) Template:Sfn	Template:Dts – December 1993		Acting Administrator	—	Office abolished
12	—	Mike Attah (Template:Born in) Template:Sfn	Template:Dts – August 1996		Military administrator
13	—	Rufai Garba	Template:Dts – August 1998
14	—	Emmanuel Ukaegbu	Template:Dts – May 1999
15	—	Chinwoke Mbadinuju (Template:Born in, Template:Died in)	Template:Dts – May 2003	rowspan="2" style="background:Template:Party color;"|	PDP	1999
16	—	Chris Ngige (Template:Born in)	Template:Dts – March 2006	2003
17	—	Peter Obi (Template:Born in)	Template:Dts – November 2006	rowspan="2" style="background:Template:Party color;"|	APGA	2003
18	—	Virginia Etiaba (Template:Born in) Template:Sfn	Template:Dts – February 2007	—		—
19	—	Andy Uba (Template:Born in)	Template:Dts – 14 June 2007	style="background:Template:Party color;"|	PDP	2007	Template:Sfn
20	—	Peter Obi (Template:Born in)	Template:Dts – March 2014	rowspan="3" style="background:Template:Party color;"|	APGA	2007 2010
21	Willie Obiano sitting at the funeral of Bishop Simon Okafor	Willie Obiano (Template:Born in)	Template:Dts – March 2022	2013 2017
22	—	Charles Soludo (Template:Born in)	Template:Dts – Incumbent	2021

See also

• States of Nigeria
• List of Nigerian state governors