₦airaland Forum

Abubakar worked underground during Bamanga Tukur’s governorship campaign. Bamanga Tukur was the then managing director of the Nigeria Ports Authority. Thereafter, Atiku met Shehu Musa Yar’Adua, who was second-in-command of the military government that ruled Nigeria between 1976 and 1979. Yar’adua thereafter invited Atiku to the political meetings that holds regularly at his home. After sometime, Abubakar became the national vice-chairman of the People Front of Nigeria. The association was led by Yar’Adua and was in charge of ensuring the success of the transition programme started by Ibrahim Babangida, the then Head of State. Other politicians in the team were Babalola Borishade, Bola Tinubu, Rabiu Kwankwaso, Aliyu Sumaila and Sabo Bakin Zuwo.


In 1989, Atiku was selected to represent his constituency at the constituent assembly, set up to form a new constitution for Nigeria. Unfortunately, the government denied the registrations of The People’s Front but they were able to find a place within the Social Democratic Party.

Atiku Abubakar Governorship Run
Atiku announced his Gongola state gubernatorial run on 1st September 1990. However, in 1991 before the election could hold, the Federal Government divided Gongola state into two – Adamawa and Taraba States. Abubakar fell into Adamawa state. Fortunately, he won the SDP primaries in November 1991 but was disqualified from contesting in the election.

In 1998, he contested as the governor of Adamawa state under People’s Democratic Party and won. However, before his swearing in, he accepted to be the running mate of PDP’s presidential candidate, Olusegun Aremu Obasanjo.

Tenure As Vice President
Atiku was sworn in as the vice president of Nigeria on 29th May 1999. He worked together with South African Deputy President, Jacob Zuma to launch South Africa Nigeria Binational Commission. In 2006, he had a clash with President Olusegun Obasanjo over his intention to amend the constitution, which will allow him to run for presidency for the third time.

This did not go down well with Atiku and the argument did more harm than good to their relationship.
Ifeanyi was elected Delta North Senatorial candidate in the January 2011 PDP primaries with 942 votes, but the result was challenged by party leaders who favoured Marian Amaka Alli as candidate.[7] He was re-elected in a rerun where he scored 1,446 votes, against 108 votes for Dr. Marian Alli.[8] In the April 2011 election for the Delta North Senatorial seat, Ifeanyi won 98,140 votes, ahead of runner up Prince Ned Munir Nwoko of the Democratic People's Party, who won 67,985 votes.[9] It was reported that there was still tension regarding the election in January 2013.[10] Ifeanyi finally clinched the ticket for the gubernatorial election in 2015 under the PDP with 406 votes on 8 December 2014. [11] He won the Delta State Gubernatorial elections 2015 in April 2015 with 724,680 votes. [12] He was inaugurated as Governor on 29 May 2015 and have since then resumed active duties. In the March 9, 2019 Governorship election, Okowa, who is a member of the Peoples Democratic Party, got 925,274 votes to defeat his opponent, the All Progressives Congress candidate, Great Ogboru, who garnered, 215,938 votes.[13]

As a sitting governor of Delta State in 2020, He established University of Delta in his home town Agbor. He also set up University of Science and Technology in Ozoro and Dennis Osadebe University in Anwai all in Delta State.