In the 26 years of unbroken democratic rule in Nigeria, certain individuals have had the rare privilege of serving in both the executive and legislative branches of government. While some in this class have distinguished records of service, others have barely marked time, occupied space and warmed benches. Adedayo Akinwale spotlights this category of present and past public officials
Since 1999, Nigerians have elected thousands of politicians to serve them in the executive and legislature at the national and sub-national levels of government. During these 26 years, hundreds of politicians have passed through the national and state assemblies and transitioned to the executive branch as governors, ministers, commissioners, chairpersons and members of statutory boards. Several hundred others have also transitioned from the executive to the legislature, serving as senators and members of the national and state assemblies. This phenomenon creates a distinct group of political actors whose influence on Nigeria’s democratic governance trajectory has to be accurately recorded and documented in the annals of history.
Most of these public officials have served (or are serving) in the national and state assemblies. A smaller number have been state governors and members of the federal cabinet. Only five have served as presidents, including the incumbent President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.