Patrick Yakowa

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Patrick Yakowa
Governor of Kaduna State
In office
20 May 2010 – 15 December 2012
DeputyMukhtar Yero
Preceded byNamadi Sambo
Deputy Governor of Kaduna State
In office
21 July 2005 – 20 May 2010
GovernorNamadi Sambo
(2007–2010)
Preceded byStephen Shekari
Succeeded byMukhtar Yero
Personal details
Born
Patrick Ibrahim Yakowa

1 December 1948
Fadan Kagoma, Jema'a, Northern Region, British Nigeria (now in Kaduna State, Nigeria)
Died15 December 2012(2012-12-15) (aged 64)
Okoroba forest, Nembe, Bayelsa State, Nigeria
Resting placeFadan Kagoma, Jema'a, Kaduna State, Nigeria
Political partyPeoples Democratic Party
SpouseAmina Yakowa
Children4
Alma materAhmadu Bello University
OccupationPolitician

Patrick Ibrahim Yakowa (1 December 1948 – 15 December 2012) was a Nigerian politician who served as governor of Kaduna State from 2010 to 2012. He was appointed deputy governor of Kaduna State in July 2005, following the death of Stephen Shekari and was elected in 2007. He was sworn in as governor on 20 May 2010, replacing Governor Namadi Sambo who had been sworn in as vice president the day before.[1] Yakowa successfully ran for election as Kaduna Governor in the 26 April 2011 polls.[2]

Background

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Yakowa was born on 1 December 1948 in Fadan Kagoma, Jema'a, then Northern Region.[3] He attended St. Mary’s Secondary School, Fadan Kaje and St. John College, Kaduna, and then was admitted to Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria.

He graduated with a B. Sc (Social Sciences) in June 1972.[4]

Civil Service career

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Yakowa joined the Civil Service of North Central State, serving as Division Officer, Secretary in the Military Governor’s Office, and Local Government Sole Administrator.

He rose to Permanent Secretary in the Kaduna State civil service, heading the Ministries of Health, Works and Transport.

In 1990, Yakowa transferred to the Federal Civil Service until the administration of General Sani Abacha appointed him Commissioner in Kaduna State from 1994 to 1997.

Returning to the Federal Civil Service after this posting, he was Director Joint Services at the Ministry of Defense from February 1997 to August 1998, and then a Director at the Ministry of Solid Minerals Development until 14 June 1999, when he was appointed Permanent Secretary and retired.[4]

Political career

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Yakowa worked for the Ahmed Makarfi campaign organization in 2003, helping Governor Makarfi get reelected.

He was also chairman of the Rivers State Screening Committee for the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in 2003. Yakowa was appointed Secretary to the Government of Kaduna State in September 2003.[4]

He was appointed Deputy Governor of Kaduna State in July 2005, replacing Stephen Shekari, who had died on July 10.[5]

In December 2006, he was a contender to be PDP candidate for governor of Kaduna State, but lost out to Namadi Sambo.[6]

Yakowa ran as the running mate to Namadi Sambo, who was elected as Governor.[7]

In December 2009, Yakowa denied claims that state administration was marginalizing Southern Kaduna. He said statements to that effect were "bizarre and mischievous" and said the government was making special efforts to provide social amenities in the area.[8]

A southerner himself, he called on the people of the region to stop agitating for a southern governor candidate in the 2011 elections, but to help governor Namadi Sambo gain a second term, and wait for 2015 to get a southern governor.[9]

In May 2010, there were rumors that President Goodluck Jonathan would nominate Kaduna State governor Namadi Sambo as his vice president, which would cause Yakowa to become governor. If so, he would be the first person from Southern Kaduna and first Christian to become governor in the state, an innovation to which some Northern leaders objected.[10]

The rumors proved true and on 20 May 2010, the day after Sambo had become vice-president, Yakowa was sworn in as Kaduna governor. To reassure people in the ethnically and religiously mixed state, he said: "I am governor for all, irrespective of religious or tribal affiliation".[11]

Yakowa successfully ran for election as Kaduna Governor in the 26 April 2011 polls on the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) platform. In a close race, he polled 1,334,319 votes to clinch victory with a difference of 200,755 votes over the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) candidate, Haruna Sae'ed, who came second with 1,133,564 votes.[12]

Death

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On 15 December 2012, Yakowa died in a helicopter crash along with the former National Security Adviser General Owoye Andrew Azazi (rtd) while flying from Bayelsa State to Port Harcourt.[13][14] They were returning from the funeral of Oronto Douglas' father in Beyelsa state.[15]

Alhaji Mukhtar Ramalan Yero, the deputy governor to Yakowa, was sworn-in the following day (Sunday, 16 December 2012) as the state's new governor by the state Chief Judge, Justice Rahila Cudjoe.[16]

References

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  1. ^ Chesa, Chesa; Negedu, Baba (20 May 2010). "Yakowa Sworn in, Says I'm Not Christian Governor". Daily Independent. Retrieved 21 May 2010.
  2. ^ Enyiocha, Chimezie (29 April 2011). "Yakowa wins Kaduna governorship poll". Archived from the original on 2 May 2011. Retrieved 29 April 2011.
  3. ^ "KADUNA 2011: PDP, CPC IN NECK-TO-NECK BATTLE". TNV. 17 March 2011. Retrieved 3 March 2021.
  4. ^ a b c "Mr. Patrick Ibrahim Yakowa". Kaduna State Government. Archived from the original on 8 June 2010. Retrieved 14 May 2010.
  5. ^ Madugba, Agaju (24 July 2005). "Yakowa, Kaduna D/ Gov, Sworn-in". This Day. Archived from the original on 22 October 2012. Retrieved 14 May 2010.
  6. ^ Omonijo, Bolade; Obateru, Taye; Mammah, Emeka; Akoni, Olasunkanmi; Erunke, Joseph; Akinyemi, Demola (11 December 2006). "PDP primaries: Run-off in Lagos, 3 others, Uduaghan wins in Delta". Vanguard. Archived from the original on 30 April 2007. Retrieved 14 May 2010.
  7. ^ "Nominated Candidates for Governorship Election 2007" (PDF). Independent National Electoral Commission. Archived from the original (PDF) on 3 October 2007. Retrieved 14 May 2010.
  8. ^ Imam, Imam (13 December 2009). "2011 - Kaduna And Politics of Zoning". This Day. Retrieved 14 May 2010 – via allAfrica.
  9. ^ "2011: Forget power shift, Yakowa tells S. Kaduna". Daily Champion. 10 December 2009. Archived from the original on 16 July 2011. Retrieved 14 May 2010.
  10. ^ Taiwo, Juliana (13 May 2010). "New VP stalemate: Odds against Sambo". Online Nigeria Daily News. Archived from the original on 28 July 2011. Retrieved 14 May 2010.
  11. ^ Mudashir, Ismail (21 May 2010). "Yakowa - I Am Not Governor for Xtians". Daily Trust. Retrieved 21 May 2010 – via allAfrica.
  12. ^ "Yakowa wins Kaduna Gov. Election with 1,334,319 votes". P.M. News. 29 April 2011. Retrieved 6 June 2011.
  13. ^ "Nigeria air crash kills governor". BBC News. 15 December 2012. Retrieved 20 December 2017.
  14. ^ Ziggy, Dj. "Naija News - AmeborTalk.com". www.amebortalk.com. Retrieved 20 December 2017.
  15. ^ Ibe, Chi (15 December 2012). "On the way from Oronto Douglas' event: Gen Azazi, Gov Yakowa feared dead in helicopter crash". YNaija. Retrieved 29 August 2024.
  16. ^ Yakowa's deputy sworn-in as the new governor. http://www.vanguardngr.com/2012/12/yero-sworn-in-as-new-kaduna-state-governor/
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