After a two-term leadership administration in Borno State, Kashim Shettima — now Nigeria’s Vice President — is still being recognised as a governor of the state, according to data obtained from the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS).
Further checks show that leadership data of the other 18 states across the three northern geo-political zones — North East, North Central and North West — are not up to date.
By this, NBS negates a key provision of the act that established it. The NBS Establishment Act 2007, states: “The National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) is the main National Agency responsible for the development and management of official statistics, the authoritative source and custodian of official statistics in Nigeria.”
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WikkiTimes notes that NBS’ inability to regularly update its database, will expose Nigerians and foreigners [who rely on the body for accurate information about the country] to misinformation.
NORTH EAST
- Adamawa
Umaru Jibrila was a one-term governor of Adamawa State, but he is still the governor, according to NBS data.
Four years ago, he lost his re-election bid [in 2019], after losing his re-election bid to the incumbent governor Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri.
He was elected as Senator representing Adamawa North in 2011 under the People’s Democratic Party (PDP). He switched to the All Progressives Congress (APC) where he contested for governor in 2015 and defeated his contenders including Nuhu Ribadu.
He later decamped to PDP to support the re-election of Fintiri in the 2023 gubernatorial polls.
- Bauchi
The Pearl of Tourism was not spared by NBS inaccurate data. The country’s data bank refused to recognise Bala Mohammed of PDP as the incumbent governor of Bauchi State. This despite winning his re-election bid.
Despite the fact that he was ousted by Bala Mohammed, data on NBS website, insist former governor of Bauchi State, Abdullahi Abubakar, still rules.
Abubakar, a one-time governor and member of APC, was defeated by PDP’s Mohammed in 2019. He succeeded Isa Yuguda in 2016. Abubaker, a lawyer, according to records, was once a Bauchi State Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice.
- Borno
Shetima, who unexpectedly became a governor in 2011 under the flagship of the All Nigerian People’s Party (ANPP), is now Nigeria’s number two citizen. He was nominated as a replacement for Modu Fannami-Gubio, winner of the party’s governorship candidate who was shot dead by Boko Haram insurgents.
Although Shettima was accused of plotting Fannami-Gubio’s death, he won the election after defeating Mohammed Goni of the PDP.
He would later defect to the APC under which platform he was re-elected as governor in 2015. He finished his two-term administration of eight years in 2019 and contested for a senatorial seat [Borno Central]. He did not only win the election, he was renominated for the senate seat in the 2023 election. But he withdrew from the race to be re-elected into the senate in 2023 to become President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s running mate.
Despite these trajectories, NBS still regards Shettima as Borno State governor instead of Babagana Umara Zulum who is serving his second tenure as the governor.
- Gombe
A two-time governor of Gombe State, Senator Ibrahim Hassan Dankwambo retains his seat on the database of the NBS as the incumbent governor. He left office in 2019 and was succeeded by current governor, Inuwa Yahaya who is now in his second tenure.
- Taraba and Yobe
Similarly, in Taraba, the NBS failed to update the name of the immediate past governor, Darius Dickson Ishaku with the name of the current governor, Agbu Kefas.
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Also, in Yobe, as per NBS data, Senator Ibrahim Geidam remains as governor. His tenure ends in 2019 and was elected senator presenting Yobe East Senatorial Zone.
NORTH CENTRAL
In the north-central, the NBS data was inaccurate except for Kogi State.
- Benue
Like other states, NBS database still recognises Samuel Ortom, as Benue State governor. But he left office in the last election after his eight years tenure. He also lost his senatorial bid.
He was succeeded by APC’s Hyacinth Alia.
- Niger and Nasarawa
The outgone Niger State governor, Abubakar Sani Bello is being recognised as the state governor after passing the leadership baton to Mohammed Umar Bago.
The same thing goes for Nasarawa State on the NBN website.
- Kwara
A one-time governor of Kwara State, Abdulfatah Ahmed, according to NBS, is still in charge of affairs in Kwara State. But he left office four years ago after losing out to AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, a second-term APC governor.
- Plateau
The immediate past governor, Simon Bako Lalong, of Plateau State is still being recognised as the incumbent governor. This was after his eight years tenure. He was succeeded by Caleb Mutfwang of PDP.
NORTH WEST
The NBS leadership data in Jigawa, Kaduna, Kano, Katsina, Kebbi, Sokoto and Zamfara were also incorrect.
Former governors Abdul’aziz Abubakar Yari (Zamfara), Aminu Waziri Tambuwal (Sokoto), Aminu Bello Masari (Katsina), Umar Abdullahi Ganduje (Kano), Abubakar Atiku Bagudu (Kebbi), Nasir Ahmad el-Rufai (Kaduna) still enjoy their titles on the NBS website.
When contacted, Wakili Ibrahim, Head of Communications and Public Relations Department of the NBS asked WikkiTimes to call him back in 30 minutes. He said he was “driving at that moment.”
Thirty minutes later, he spoke to WikkiTimes but declined to comment. Ibrahim said he cannot speak to the press until Tuesday during official hours.
