DIARIES OF TINUBU'S NINE FORMER STATES LORDS.

It is no longer news but history that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu of Nigeria has nominated about nine former state governors in his forty nine man cabinet to be constituted this week.National Record beams into their doziers as reported below.

1DAVID UMAHI

He is the immediate past governor of Ebonyi state who ruled for good eight years.An engineer by profession,UMAHI was a PDP member and became a governor under the umbrella party before jumping ship to the ruling All Progressive Congress.He contested for the broom party's presidential ticket but later stepped down for president Tinubu to grab a senatorial ticket.He won and became Senate deputy leader before his sudden nomination.He is seen not only as a pan- Igbo but a pan-Nigerian.His new party retains the state governorship.

NYESOM EZONWO WIKE

The rambunctious former oil rich Rivers state governor was a one time Minister of state for education during former president Goodluck Jonathan's era.He contested for the opposition umbrella party's presidential ticket but narrowly lost to former vice president Atiku Abubakar.He worked against his party in favour of president Tinubu in what political watchers said was a political marriage consumated under duress.He was still able to deliver his preferred governorship candidate to PDP but delivered the state to APC presidential candidate.His nomination is seen as a compensation in fulfillment of an agreement and has raised dust in the political firmament.

BELLO MATAWALE

The immediate past governor of the gold rich Zamfara state contested under PDP in 2019 but lost to the ruling APC.In fighting amongst the APC chieftains led to the cancellation of all it's primaries and subsequent disqualification and MATAWALE became the beneficiary.He later decamped to the APC in what pundits described as a political survival mission.But his survival mission yielded no fruit as he was ousted by Lawal Dare of the PDP.If not for his nomination,he will remain in political wilderness.

NASIR ELRUFAI

The bluntly former Kaduna lord's name rings a bell anywhere it is mentioned.The quantity surveyor cum politician was a policy advisor to the General Abdul Salami Abubakar's short regim.Obasanjo later appointed him as Director General of Beareau of public enterprises and later elevated to the minister in charge of FCT.He fearlessly restored FCT master plan and left the PDP to form CPC with former president MUHAMMADU BUHARI in 2011.In 2015, the CPC merged with other parties to form the APC and he contested for Kaduna governorship and won under the APC.His two terms were accused of religion intolerance.He is the leader of Northern governors who made sure Tinubu secured the ticket and won.His nomination is also seen as a compensation.

ABUBAR BADARU

BADARU ruled Jigawa for two terms and delivered his party the APC at all level.He is a quiet achiever.

ATIKU BAGUDU

Senator BAGUDU who lord over Kebbi state for two terms was in the Senate before his ascension to the governor's stool.His administration was known for rice production.He failed in his bid to return to the Senate as his predicessor Adamu Aliero clinched the seat.

SIMON BAKO LALONG

A quiet lawyer by profession,he was elected twice as speaker of Plateau state house of assembly.He led the campaign for Tinubu's presidency and that cost him a lot of mistrust from friends and religious jingoists.He lost a senatorial election to AVM Napoleon Bali of the PDP in what pundits see as protest.

IBRAHIM GAIDAM

He was a former Yobe state helms man and a two terms senator.