by Emma Chidiogo

Quite a number of politicians have been approved by President Goodluck Jonathan for the award of National Honours.

Of the twenty-six politicians who are to receive the awards, 21 will be honoured with the Commander of the Order of the Niger (CON); 3 will receive the Order of the Federal Republic (OFR); while 2 will be honoured with Member of the Order of the Federal Republic (MFR).

The investiture is set to hold on Monday, September 29, at the International Conference Centre, Abuja.

Below is a list of politicians to be honoured by the President;

ALHAJI IBRAHIM ADEJOH IDRIS (CON): (Born 1949) He is a former Governor of Kogi State. He was elected in 2003 and re-elected in 2007. He is a member of the ruling People’s Democratic Party (PDP)

DR. PETER ODILI (CON): (Born 1948) He was the thirteenth Governor of Rivers State from 29 May 1999 to 29 May 2007. He is a member of the ruling People’s Democratic Party (PDP).

CHIEF JOHN E. KENNETH ODIGIE OYEGUN (CON): (Born 12 August 1939) He is the first national chairman of All Progressives Congress (APC) in Nigeria. He was also the Executive Governor of Edo State between 1992 and 1993.

CHIEF TOM IKIMI (CON): (Born August 17, 1941) A Foreign Affairs Minister from 1995–1998. He Led the Action Congress (AC) to win the Governorship elections in Edo State in 2007; ACN also in 2012 Election.

AHMAD RUFA’I SANI: (Born 22 July 1960) He was the Governor of Zamfara State from 1999 to 2007, and is now Senator for Zamfara West and Deputy Minority Leader in the Senate. He is a member of the All Nigeria People’s Party (ANPP).

ERELU OLUSOLA I.A. OBADA (CON): Minister of State for Defence. She hails from Ilesa East LGA, Osun State. She’s the former Deputy-Governor of Osun State.

SEN. NKECHI J. NWAOGU (CON): (Born 29 May 1956) She is a Nigerian senator who represents the People’s Democratic Party in Abia State. She became a senator in 2003.

SEN. CHRISTOPHER BABAJIDE OMOWORARE (CON): (Born 31 October 1968) He was elected Senator for the Osun East constituency of Osun State in the 2011 elections. He ran on the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) platform.

DAME VIRGY N. ETIABA (CON): She was the acting governor of Anambra State, from November 2006 to February 2007. She is the first female governor in Nigeria’s history. Her instalment came as the previous governor, Peter Obi, was impeached by the state legislature for alleged gross misconduct.

SENATOR IYIOLA OMISORE (CON): He is a Nigerian politician who served as deputy governor of Osun State from 1999–2003, and represented the PDP as a member of the Senate for Osun East from 2003–2009, when his election was annulled by an electoral appeal tribunal.

SEN. MARAFA KABIR GARBA (CON): He was elected Senator for Zamfara Central in Zamfara State in 2011, running on the All Nigeria People’s Party (ANPP) ticket. Engineer Kabir Garba Marafa was formerly the Commissioner for Water Resources in the state.

CHIEF (DR.) THEODORE AHAMEFULA ORJI (CON): was elected governor of Abia State, in southeast Nigeria, on May 29, 2007 and re-elected on April 26, 2011. He was formerly a career civil servant, and served as the Chief of Staff to Abia Governor, Orji Uzor Kalu.

MALLAM ISA YUGUDA (CON): He was elected Governor of Bauchi State in April 2007 on the All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP) platform. In April 2009 he changed allegiance from the ANPP to the People’s Democratic Party (PDP). Yaguda was reelected governor on 28 April 2011.

BARR. SULLIVAN IHEANACHO CHIME (CON): (Born 10 April 1959) He was elected governor of Enugu State in Nigeria in April 2007, taking office on 29 May 2007. He is a member of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP). He was reelected on 26 April 2011.

DR OLUSEGUN MIMIKO (CON): (Born 3 October 1954) He is the current governor of Ondo State. Dr. He competed in gubernatorial elections in 2007, against the incumbent Olusegun Agagu and lost the contest in April 2007 according to the result released by the Independent Electoral Commission INEC. Mimiko contested this decision at the election tribunal and Agagu lost office on February 23, 2009 following an Appeal Court ruling which cited irregularities in the 2007 election

ALHAJI SA’IDU USMAN NASAMU DAKINGARI (CON): (Born 13 September 1959) He was elected governor of Kebbi State in 2007. He is a member of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP). He was reelected on 26 April 2011. However, on 24 February 2012 the Supreme Court upheld a ruling by the Kebbi State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal that nullified his election, and ordered a fresh election within 90 days. He was elected again on 31 March and took office on 2 April.

DA DAVID JONAH JANG (CON): (Born 13 March 1944) He was elected Governor of Plateau State in April 2007. He had previously served as Military Governor of Benue State and Gongola State. He ran successfully for reelection on 26 April 2011.

SENATOR IBIKUNLE AMOSUN (CON): (Born 25 January 1958) He was elected Senator for the Ogun Central district of Ogun State, in April 2003. In April 2007 he made an unsuccessful bid to be elected governor of Ogun State. He ran for Governor again on 2011, and this time was elected on the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) platform.

DR JOHN KAYODE FAYEMI (CON): (Born February 9, 1965) is the current Governor of Ekiti State and a native of Isan-Ekiti in Oye Local Government of Ekiti State, Nigeria.

SENATOR FEMI OKUNRONMU (CON): He was elected Senator for the Ogun Central constituency of Ogun State at the start of the Nigerian Fourth Republic, running on the Alliance for Democracy (AD) platform. He held office from 29 May 1999 to 29 May 2003.

SENATOR GEORGE THOMPSON SIKIBO JP (CON): He is a senator representing the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in Rivers State. He became a member of the Nigerian Senate in 2007.

DR. ABDUALLAHI UMAR GANDUJE (OFR): He is the Deputy Governor of Kano State. He is also the current Executive Secretary of the Government of the Lake Chad Basin Commission N’djamena.

CHIEF VICTOR UMEH (OFR): He is the chairman of the All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA).

SENATOR UMAR ABUBAKAR ARGUNGU (OFR): (Born 1 January 1959) He was elected Senator for Kebbi North constituency of Kebbi State taking office in 2007. He is a member of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP).

RT. HON. ATOZA IHINDAN (MFR): (Born on 30 January, 1966) He is the helmsman in the ministry of commerce and industries, Benue State as Cabinet Commissioner.

AMB. ADAMU SAIDU DAURA (MFR)