Ahmadu Bello University Zaria is one of the oldest Universities in the country. And it isĀ perhaps one of the oldest, up North. It has produced one President and three former Vice Presidents among others. The list of influential and powerfulĀ alumni is quite long. Below BAMIDELE OGUNDANA brings you some of them.
AUDU OGBEH
A former National Chairman of PDP, he left the party to join APC and he is presently the Minister of Agriculture.
CLARENCE OBAFEMI
He was a former Speaker as well as Acting Governor of Kogi State.
LAMIDO SANUSI
The Emir of Kano, Lamido Sanusi finished from the Ahmadu Bello University, before he ventured into banking to head the apex bank and later after he was booted out, he was elected as the Emir of Kano.
ATIKU ABUBAKAR
Atiku Abubakar is not the only former Vice President that attended the Ahmadu Bello University, indeed there were three of them.
NAMADI SAMBO
Namadi Sambo, the immediate past Vice President also graduate as an Architect from ABU Zaria. He was formerly the Governor of Kaduna state before he was picked to be Jonathanās veepee.
UMAR MUSA YAR ADUA
The late President was a graduate of the Ahamdu Bello Univeristy an honour he shares with his wife, Turai.
MOHAMMED ADOKE
Adoke was the immediate past Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice. He served with Jonathan for his four years.
ATAHIRU JEGA
He was formerly the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, a lecturer and former head of ASUU.
PATRICK YAKOWA
The late Governor of Kaduna State, who also at a point served as the State Deputy Governor also had aĀ degree from Ahmadu Bello University.
UMARU TANKO AL MAKURA
He is the incumbent Governor of Nasarawa State. Before then, he ahs made his mark as an astute businessman.
IDRIS WAZIRI
He is a former minister of Agriculture.
HALIMA TAYO ALAO
A female minister from Kwara State, she served under the Yar Adua era.
ROSALINE BOZIMO
She was a former Minister.
IBRAHIM LAMORDE
Lamorde, a Senior Police Officer, he is the immediate past head of Economic and Financial Crmies Commission, EFCC.
CHIKE ANIAKOR
He is another great alumnus of the Univeristy.
DAHIRU MUSDAPHER
He was formerly Nigeriaās Chief Justice having read Law at the Ahmadu Bello University.
AHMED MOHAMMED INUWA
He is another influential politician from Niger State. He was formerly the State Deputy Governor.
IBRAHIM DANKWAMBO
He is the incumbent Governor of Gombe State where he is running a seond term. He had been the Accountant General of the Federation before this.
THEOPHILUS DANJUMA
He is a former Defence Minister and one of the wealthiest Nigerians around. He had served the country in various capacities as head of military formations before the coming of civilians in 1999.
JERRY GANA
The former Minister of Information and head of the social mobilisation parastatal, MAMSER has been very visible in the Nigerian political scene for more than three decades.
ISA YUGUDA
He was the Governor of Bauchi State for eight years, before then he was Minister of Aviation and he had also made his mark as a Governor.
OBIORA ODECHUKWU
He is another very influential former student of the Ahmadu Bello University.
NENADI USMAN
She was the Finance Minister during the last days of the Obasanjo era, she also served as a Senator representing her state, Kaduna in the Upper House.
REBECCA NDJOZE-OJO
She is another influential alumnus of the ABU, Zaria.
IBRAHIM SHEMA
He served Katsina State as the Governor for eight years.
USMAN NAFADA
Usman Nafada was the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives during the Bankole era as the Speaker of the House of Representatives.
BAMANGA TUKUR
The former Governor of the old Gongola State was also a former Chairman of the PDP.
TURAI YAR ADUA
She was the First Lady to Umaru Musa Yar Adua, who like his wife as attended Ahmadu Bello Univeristy.
IBRAHIMĀ SHEKARAU
He wasĀ two term governor of Kano state and he also served the immediate past Government as the Minister of Education.
SHEHU LADAN
He is another influential member of the ABU alumni association.
IBRAHIM UMAR
Another influential alumnus of the ABU, he is a powerful politician
DONALD DUKE
He was the Governor of Cross River State between 1999 and 2007, he also attended ABU Zaria.
SUNDAY AWONIYI
A former Northern leader, he was one of the founders of many Northern political and social interst groups
ADAMU ALIERO
A two term Govenor of Kebbi State, he was also a Senator.
AMINU SAFANA
A former Senator of the Federal Republic, he hails from Katsina State.
AHMED MAKARFI
He was a two term governor of Kaduna State and he finished from ABU Zaria where he read Accounting.
YAYALE AHMED
He was formerly a Minister but before then, he was theĀ Head of Service of the Federation.
NUHU RIBADU
Nuhu Ribadu, the pioneer Chairman of the EFCC finished from the University where he read Law.
OLADIPO DIYA
Former Chief of General Staff, Oladipo Diya graduated from the same University.
AISHA BUHARI
The wife of the President is another prominent Nigerian that graduated from the Ahmadu Bello University Zaria.
NASIR EL RUFAI
Nasir el Rufai was formerly FCT Minister, then he went on exile to come back and contest for the topmost job in Kaduna State, where he presently is the Governor.
ABDULLAHI GANDUJE
Ganduje holds a doctorate degree, he is the incumbent Governor of Kano State.
SAMUEL ORTOM
The Governor of Benue State is another prominent Nigeria who finished from the University.
DARIUS ISHAKU
He is the incumbent Governor of Taraba State. He also graduated from Ahmadu Bello University.
BUKAR ABBA IBRAHIM
He is a former Governor of Yobe State, he has also been to the Senate to represent the state.
MUHAMMED ABUBAKAR
Another graduate of Ahmadu Bello Univeristy, he is the Governor of Bauchi State.
SIMON LALONG
He is the incumbent Governor of Plateau State.
BADARU ABUBAKAR
He is incumbent Governor of Jigawa State.
IBRAHIM GEIDAM
He is the incumbent Governor of Yobe State and is presently serving his second term. He was a Deputy Governor before he became the Governor at the demise of the Governor.
ADAMU MUAZU
He was two āterm Governor of Bauchi State before he late became the National Chairman of the PDP.
DANBABA SUNTAI
He was a two-term governor of Taraba State before he had an air crash which made him indisposed and he has since been confined to wheelchair.
MOHMMED BAWA
He was Mitary Administrstor of Ekiti state during the Abacha era. He died months back.
IBRAHIM GIREI
He was former Governor of Adamawa State.
MUKHTAR YERO
He was Governor of Kaduna State after serving as Deputy Governor to late Yakowa.
BARNABAS GEMADE
Former National Chairman of PDP, he decamped to PDP where he was elected to the Senate representing Benue State.
JAMES NGILARI
He was formerly a Governor , he served as Deputy Governor to Murtala Nyako and took over when Nyako was impeached.
AISHA JUMMAI ALHASSAN
A former Senator, she is currently Minister for Women Affairs, she was at one time or the other a Commissioner in her home state of Taraba as well as the Chief Registrar of FCT High Court.
SHAMSUDEEN USMAN
He was a Deputy Governor with the CBN before he became Nigeriaās Minister of National Planning.
RILWANU LUKMAN
He was two- time Nigeria Petroleum Resources Minister, he was also a former OPEC top shot.
MARYAM CIROMA
Wife of top elder stateman, Adamu Ciroma, she also served as a minister during the Goodluck Jonathan.
Umaru dembo
RUQAYYAĀ RUFAI
She was a Professor of Education until she came to serve as Minister of Education during the Jonathan adminsitartion.
HADIZA MAI LAFIYA
Hadiza Mai Lafiya served as a minister under the Jonathan administration
