President Bola Tinubu, on Wednesday, July 12, received the 1999 class of governors at the Presidential Villa.
The 1999 class of governors were the first set of elected governors at the beginning of the fourth republic when Nigeria returned to democracy from the long walk of the military regime.
![1999 Class of Governor/President Bola Tinubu/George Akume/APC/PDP/Senate 1999 Class of Governor/President Bola Tinubu/George Akume/APC/PDP/Senate](https://netstorage-legit.akamaized.net/images/54621e16c9676352.jpg?imwidth=900)
Photo Credit: @toluogunlesi
Source: Twitter
However, there are five things you should know about the former governors, and these are explained below:
SGF is among them
Among the former governors that visited President Tinubu on Wednesday was the current secretary to the government of the federation (SGF), George Akume.
Akume was the governor of Benue State between 1999 and 2007 on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and was re-elected to represent Benue North-West in 2011 on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC).
The former APC Chairman is one of the governors
Bisi Akande, the former governor of Osun State and pioneer chairman of the APC, was one of the 1999 class of governors that visited President Tinubu.
Akande was Osun governor between 1999 and 2003 under the Alliance for Democracy (AD), the same party of President Tinubu in the year of the rebirth of democracy in Nigeria and served as the interim national chairman of the APC when the party was founded ahead of the 2015 election.
Former PDP national chairman
Also among the 1999 class of governors that visited President Bola Tinubu was the former national chairman of the PDP, Adamu Mu’azu (2014-2015).
Mu’azu served as governor of Bauchi State between 1999 and 2007, just as President Tinubu was governor of Lagos State at the same period of time.
Current and former senators
Among the class of governors are former current and former senators, Orji Kalu of Abia State and Chimaroke Nnamani of Enugu State.
Kalu served as governor of Abia State between 1999 and 2007 and has been representing Abia north in the Senate since he left the governor’s office.
On his part, Nnamani was also a two-term governor of Enugu state between 1999 and 2007. He was a former senator for Enugu East between 2007 and 2011 and was re-elected in 2019. He lost his re-election in 2023.
Former Minister
Among the former governors was Niyi Adebayo, the immediate past minister of industry, trade and investment under ex-President Muhammadu Buhari.
Like Akande, Adebayo served as the governor of Ekiti State between 1999 and 2003 under the AD.
Source: Legit.ng