Ebonyi State, located in the South East geopolitical zone of Nigeria, has been governed by military administrators and elected governors since its creation on 1 October 1996. The state was created by the military government of Sani Abacha from parts of Abia State and Enugu State. Much of the territory that now constitutes Ebonyi had earlier formed part of the old Eastern Region, then the East Central State, before successive state-creation exercises placed it within Anambra and Imo State, and later within Enugu and Abia. The first administrator of Ebonyi State was Walter Feghabo, who served from October 1996 to August 1998, followed by Simeon Oduoye until the return to civilian rule in May 1999. With the start of the Fourth Republic, Sam Egwu of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) became the first elected governor and served from 1999 to 2007. He was succeeded by Martin Elechi (2007–2015), Dave Umahi (2015–2023), and Francis Nwifuru (2023–present).
Background Before Nigeria's independence in 1960, the territory that now forms Ebonyi State lay within the Eastern Region, one of the country's original administrative divisions. After the January 1966 coup, the regional system was brought under military control, and in May 1967 the federal military government dissolved the four regions and replaced them with twelve states. The former Eastern Region was broken up in 1967 into East Central State, Rivers State, and South-Eastern State. East Central State, with its capital at Enugu, existed until 3 February 1976. In 1976, the military government of Murtala Mohammed divided it into Anambra State and Imo State.
The territory that would later become Ebonyi was thereafter administered through the structures of Anambra and Imo States. A further state-creation exercise under Ibrahim Babangida in 1991 split Anambra to create Enugu State and split Imo to create Abia State. Ebonyi's immediate administrative antecedents were therefore the old Abia State and Enugu State. Both were among the nine states created in 1991 by the Babangida regime. On 1 October 1996, the Abacha regime created six additional states, including Ebonyi, which was carved out of Abia and Enugu.
List of governors
Ebonyi State was officially created on 1 October 1996 following its separation from Abia and Enugu States. The first chief executive of the new state was Walter Feghabo, a military administrator who served from October 1996 until August 1998. He was succeeded by Simeon Oduoye, who remained in office until the handover to civilian rule in May 1999. During the Fourth Republic, Sam Egwu of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) became the state's first elected governor and served two terms from 29 May 1999 to 29 May 2007. He was succeeded by Martin Elechi, also of the PDP, who served from 29 May 2007 to 29 May 2015. Dave Umahi won the 2015 gubernatorial election as the PDP candidate and was re-elected in 2019. In November 2020, Umahi defected from the PDP to the All Progressives Congress (APC). A Federal High Court ordered his removal in March 2022, but appellate decisions later reversed or struck down attempts to unseat him and his deputy. Francis Nwifuru of the APC was elected in the 2023 gubernatorial election, and sworn in on 29 May 2023. He is the incumbent.
+ Heads of the government of Ebonyi StateGovernorTerm in officePartyElectionWalter Feghabo–August 1998 Military administratorOffice did not existSimeon Oduoye–May 1999Sam Ominyi Egwu–29 May 2007 PDP19992003()()Martin Elechi–29 May 2015PDP20072011()()David Nweze Umahi–29 May 2023PDP20152019 APCFrancis Nwifuru–IncumbentAPC2023
Explanatory notes
See also List of state governors of Nigeria
References Citations
Works cited