Meet Nigeria’s most successful political dynasty families

All over the world, political dynasties are present and they exist in varying degrees.In Nigeria, such families have produced political leaders in varied levels of the process with some producing a former Head of Government, writes City People Online Editor, KIKELOMO IWAJOMO.

The Obasanjos
Chief Olusegun Obasanjo has served Nigeria 3 times as head of government. The Ebora Owu was head of state from February 1976 to October 1979. As a democratically-elected president on the platform of the People’s Democratic Party(PDP), his first term was from May 1999 to May 2003. He was re-elected in 2003 and ended his second term as president in May 2007. His first child Senator Iyabo Obasanjo-Bello represented Ogun Central Senatorial District of Ogun State from 2007 to 2011. Chief Olusegun Obasanjo has remained a political godfather not just in Nigeria but on the African continent.

The Shagaris
The 90-year-old Turaki Sakkwato, Alhaji Shehu Shagari served as the president of Nigeria in the Second Republic (1979–1983). His son Alhaji Mukhtar Shagari is the immediate past deputy governor of Sokoto state. Another of the Shagaris in politics is Hon. Aminu Shehu Shagari, the representative of Yabo/Shagari federal constituency in the 7th Senate.

The Tinubus
Asiwaju Bola Tinubu aka Jagaba, the National Leader of All Progressives Congress (APC), is a former senator having represented Lagos West Senatorial District in 1993. After the return to democracy, he was elected governor of Lagos State, holding office from May 1999 to May 2007. His wife, a 2nd-term senator Oluremi Tinubu represents Lagos Central Senatorial District on the platform of the APC. Bola Tinubu’s son-in-law, Hon. Oyetunde Ojo is a former member of the Ekiti State House of Assembly.


The Sarakis
The patriarch of the Saraki family, late Senator Olusola Saraki was a senator in Nigeria’s second republic. His son Senator Bukola Saraki representing Kwara Central Senatorial District is Nigeria’s current senate president. He is a former governor of Kwara state. Bukola Saraki’s sister Gbemisola Saraki is also a former senator.


The Igbinedions
Sir Gabriel Igbinedion, the Esama of Benin, is a PDP stakeholder. His son, Lucky Igbinedion was the governor of Edo State from May 1999 to May 2007. Omosede Igbinedion, one of the daughters of Sir and Lady Igbinedion, is the representative of the Ovia Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives. There are reports that Sir Igbinedion’s son-in-law Captain Hosa Okunbo will be joining the race for Edo 2016 guber election.


The Abiolas
Bashorun MKO Abiola is the acclaimed winner of the June 12, 1993 presidential election. A number of his children have taken after him in politics. They include: Lola Abiola-Edewor(a former member of the House of Representatives); Hafsat Abiola-Costello(former Special Adviser, Millennium Development Goals at Ogun State Government); Lekan Abiola(he once contested the primaries of defunct Action Congress of Nigeria [ACN] for the House of Representatives seat).

Rinsola Abiola, also one of Bashorun Abiola’s daughters, was recently appointed member of the Board of Trustees, All Progressives Congress(APC)- she is the youngest member ever appointed in Nigeria on the trustees’ board of a political party. Some of Bashorun Abiola’s widows have also shown interest in politics: Professor Akasoba Duke-Abiola who was a presidential aspirant(PDP) in the 2015 election: Chief(Mrs) Dupe Onitiri-Abiola, an aspirant in the 2015 Lagos guber race.

The Nwodos
The beginning of the Nwodo dynasty can be traced to their late father, Igwe John Nwodo, who was a minister in Nigeria’s First Republic. The Nwodos hail from Ukehe clan of the Ojebogene stock in Enugu but they belong to Nsukka, administratively and politically. John Nnia Nwodo (Jnr), the third son, was a minister in the Second Republic under (then) President Shehu Shagari. He returned as a Minister of Information during the military government of General Abdulsalami Abubakar.


The second son of Igwe Nwodo, Okwesilieze, became the Governor of Enugu State and later the first National Secretary of the PDP. The eldest son, Dr. Joe Nwodo was in the race for Enugu governor during the Babangida administration. The Nwodo sisters are also not left out in politics. Their eldest sister, Mrs. Grace Obayi, has been commissioner in various administrations of Enugu and old Anambra State.

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About Unknown

Deji Sadiq, a.k.a DEJI OF LAGOS is a LASU trained Economist turned freelance journalist, a Blogger, an information strategist, a public affairs analyst and a committed activist with a passion for equal opportunities.