Abdullahi Adamu
Encyclopedia
Abdullahi Adamu was governor of Nasarawa State
in Nigeria
from 29 May 1999 to 29 May 2007. He is a member of the ruling People's Democratic Party
(PDP).
, Nasarawa State, on July 23, 1946. He attended the Government Secondary School, Makurdi
(1960–1962), the Government Technical College, Bukuru
(1962–1965) and Kaduna Polytechnic (1965–1968). He returned to Kaduna
Polytechnic for a Higher National Diploma in June, 1971.
Abdullahi Adamu started work in 1967 with the Electricity Corporation of Nigeria. In 1971 he joined the Northern Nigeria Development Corporation (NNDC) Kaduna. In 1973 he became a joined AEK, a consultancy firm, where he was Project Manager for construction of Durbar Hotel and Murtala Mohammed Square, Kaduna
. In October 1975, he was appointed the Executive Secretary of the Benue/Plateau Construction Company by the Benue/Plateau State government. From February 1980–September 1983 he was Chairman of the Benue Cement Company, Gboko
.
In 1987, he enrolled in the part–time degree programme of the University of Jos
, obtaining an LLB (Hons) in 1992. He enrolled in the Nigerian Law School
, Lagos
where he obtained his BL and was called to the Bar as a solicitor and Advocate of Supreme Court of Nigeria in December, 1993.
(NPN), the first Secretary-General of the NPN in Plateau State
from December 1978, and chairman of the NPN in the Plateau from 1982 to 1983, when military rule began again. In 1994 he was appointed to the National Constitutional Conference by General Sani Abacha
's administration. In March 1995, Adamu was appointed a minister of state of the Works and Housing ministry, holding this position until November, 1997.
When the ban on political activity was lifted in 1997, he joined the United Nigeria Congress Party
(UNCP). In 1998, Adamu became a founding member of People’s Democratic Party (PDP).
In December 2003, Alhaji Abdullahi Adamu welcomed Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom
on a visit to Karu, where she was entertained by cultural troupes.
Abdullahi Adamu promised to make Nasarawa famous with the State's solid mineral natural resources and tourist attractions such as the Farin Ruwa Waterfalls and the flowing Eggon hills.
He backed construction of the Farin Ruwa Hydro-Electric plant, visiting South Korea
in 2004 and later awarding the engineering contract to the South Korean firm Yooshing Engineering.
In September 2005 he launched the School Feeding Programme in the State of Nasarawa, which aims to provide a fortified nutritional supplement to primary school children.
In Feb 2010, Adamu was arrested by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission
(EFCC) for allegedly embezzling $100 million of government money meant for public projects.
Adamu was the PDP candidate for the Nasarawa West Senatorial seat in the April 2011 elections.
In an interview in February 2011 he dismissed the EFCC case, saying it was based on "mere allegations", and said it would not affect his candidature.
In the event, he was elected with 121,414 votes, while his closest rival, retired General Ahmed Abdullahi Aboki of the Congress for Progressive Change
(CPC), polled 93,050 votes.
Nasarawa State
Nasarawa State is a state in central Nigeria. Its capital is Lafia.-History:Nasarawa was created on 1 October 1996 by the Abacha government from the Plateau State.-Geography:...
in Nigeria
Nigeria
Nigeria , officially the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is a federal constitutional republic comprising 36 states and its Federal Capital Territory, Abuja. The country is located in West Africa and shares land borders with the Republic of Benin in the west, Chad and Cameroon in the east, and Niger in...
from 29 May 1999 to 29 May 2007. He is a member of the ruling People's Democratic Party
People's Democratic Party (Nigeria)
The People's Democratic Party is a political party in Nigeria. Its policies generally lie towards the right wing of the political spectrum. It has won every single Presidential elections since 1999, namely: 1999, 2003, 2007, and 2011, and is the dominant party in the Fourth Republic.-History:In...
(PDP).
Background
Abdullahi Adamu was born at KeffiKeffi
Keffi is a Local Government Area in Nasarawa State, Nigeria. Its headquarters are in the town of Keffi.It has an area of 138 km² and a population of 92,664 at the 2006 census.The postal code of the area is 961.- Education :...
, Nasarawa State, on July 23, 1946. He attended the Government Secondary School, Makurdi
Makurdi
Makurdi is the capital of Benue State in Nigeria. The city is located in central Nigeria along the Benue river bank and was the base for the Nigerian Air Force's MiG 21 and SEPECAT Jaguar aircraft squadrons...
(1960–1962), the Government Technical College, Bukuru
Bukuru
Bukuru is located on the Jos Plateau in Nigeria. It used to be considered a separate city from the city of Jos close by, but like every other form of urbanization, the city of Jos has merged with the town of Bukuru to form the Jos-Bukuru metropolis...
(1962–1965) and Kaduna Polytechnic (1965–1968). He returned to Kaduna
Kaduna
Kaduna is the state capital of Kaduna State in north-central Nigeria. The city, located on the Kaduna River, is a trade center and a major transportation hub for the surrounding agricultural areas with its rail and road junction. The population of Kaduna is at 760,084 as of the 2006 Nigerian census...
Polytechnic for a Higher National Diploma in June, 1971.
Abdullahi Adamu started work in 1967 with the Electricity Corporation of Nigeria. In 1971 he joined the Northern Nigeria Development Corporation (NNDC) Kaduna. In 1973 he became a joined AEK, a consultancy firm, where he was Project Manager for construction of Durbar Hotel and Murtala Mohammed Square, Kaduna
Kaduna
Kaduna is the state capital of Kaduna State in north-central Nigeria. The city, located on the Kaduna River, is a trade center and a major transportation hub for the surrounding agricultural areas with its rail and road junction. The population of Kaduna is at 760,084 as of the 2006 Nigerian census...
. In October 1975, he was appointed the Executive Secretary of the Benue/Plateau Construction Company by the Benue/Plateau State government. From February 1980–September 1983 he was Chairman of the Benue Cement Company, Gboko
Gboko
Gboko is a town in the Benue State of North-central Nigeria. The population is over 500,000, mostly Tiv people. It is the traditional capital of the Tiv tribe and it has the official residence of the Tor-Tiv, who is the paramount traditional ruler of the Tiv people spread in Benue, Taraba, Plateau...
.
In 1987, he enrolled in the part–time degree programme of the University of Jos
University of Jos
The University of Jos, abbreviated as Unijos, is a federal university in Jos, Plateau State, central Nigeria. The school offers courses in law, medicine, pharmacy, natural sciences, social sciences, the built environment as well as arts and humanities....
, obtaining an LLB (Hons) in 1992. He enrolled in the Nigerian Law School
Nigerian Law School
The Nigerian Law School was set up by the Federal Government of Nigeria in 1962 to provide a Nigerian legal education to foreign-trained lawyers, and to provide practical training for aspiring Legal Practitioners in Nigeria....
, Lagos
Lagos
Lagos is a port and the most populous conurbation in Nigeria. With a population of 7,937,932, it is currently the third most populous city in Africa after Cairo and Kinshasa, and currently estimated to be the second fastest growing city in Africa...
where he obtained his BL and was called to the Bar as a solicitor and Advocate of Supreme Court of Nigeria in December, 1993.
Early political career
Adamu entered politics in 1977, and was elected to the Constituent Assembly, which drafted the constitution for Nigeria’s short-lived Second Republic (1979–1983). He was a pioneer member of the National Party of NigeriaNational Party of Nigeria
The National Party of Nigeria was the dominant political party in Nigeria during the Second Republic .-Formation:The party's beginning could be traced to private and sometimes secret meetings among key Northern Nigerian leaders after the proscription of political parties in 1966 by the military...
(NPN), the first Secretary-General of the NPN in Plateau State
Plateau State
Plateau State is the twelfth largest state of Nigeria, and is roughly located in the center of the country. It is geographically unique in Nigeria because its boundaries totally surround the Jos Plateau, having the Jos Plateau totally in its central and northern part...
from December 1978, and chairman of the NPN in the Plateau from 1982 to 1983, when military rule began again. In 1994 he was appointed to the National Constitutional Conference by General Sani Abacha
Sani Abacha
General Sani Abacha was a Nigerian military leader and politician. A Kanuri from Borno by tribe, he was born and brought up in Kano, Nigeria. He was the de facto President of Nigeria from 1993 to 1998....
's administration. In March 1995, Adamu was appointed a minister of state of the Works and Housing ministry, holding this position until November, 1997.
When the ban on political activity was lifted in 1997, he joined the United Nigeria Congress Party
United Nigeria Congress Party
The United Nigeria Congress Party was a Nigerian political party that was one of the five state-sanctioned political parties allowed by the government of General Sani Abacha to participate in state assembly elections held in December 1997, in which it won many elections, and in parliamentary...
(UNCP). In 1998, Adamu became a founding member of People’s Democratic Party (PDP).
Nasarawa Governor
In April 1999, Abdullahi Adamu ran successfully for position of governor of Nasarawa State on the PDP platform. He was reelected in April 2003.In December 2003, Alhaji Abdullahi Adamu welcomed Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
on a visit to Karu, where she was entertained by cultural troupes.
Abdullahi Adamu promised to make Nasarawa famous with the State's solid mineral natural resources and tourist attractions such as the Farin Ruwa Waterfalls and the flowing Eggon hills.
He backed construction of the Farin Ruwa Hydro-Electric plant, visiting South Korea
South Korea
The Republic of Korea , , is a sovereign state in East Asia, located on the southern portion of the Korean Peninsula. It is neighbored by the People's Republic of China to the west, Japan to the east, North Korea to the north, and the East China Sea and Republic of China to the south...
in 2004 and later awarding the engineering contract to the South Korean firm Yooshing Engineering.
In September 2005 he launched the School Feeding Programme in the State of Nasarawa, which aims to provide a fortified nutritional supplement to primary school children.
Subsequent career
After the end of his two-term governorship, Adamu became Secretary, Board of Trustees (BOT) of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). In November 2009, a group of prominent PDP members stated that they would support his candidature in the 2011 elections for the Nasarawa West Senate constituency.In Feb 2010, Adamu was arrested by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission
Economic and Financial Crimes Commission
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission is a Nigerian law enforcement agency that investigates financial crimes such as advance fee fraud and money laundering...
(EFCC) for allegedly embezzling $100 million of government money meant for public projects.
Adamu was the PDP candidate for the Nasarawa West Senatorial seat in the April 2011 elections.
In an interview in February 2011 he dismissed the EFCC case, saying it was based on "mere allegations", and said it would not affect his candidature.
In the event, he was elected with 121,414 votes, while his closest rival, retired General Ahmed Abdullahi Aboki of the Congress for Progressive Change
Congress for Progressive Change
The Congress for Progressive Change is a political party founded in Nigeria in 2009 in preparation for the April 2011 elections.It is the 63rd political party to be founded in the country and also the last political party to be registered in Nigeria....
(CPC), polled 93,050 votes.