Did you know that as at year 2023, Delta state has produced six military administrators and five executive governors since its creation in 1991?

Delta State was birthed on August 27, 1991 when the old Bendel State was split into Edo State and Delta State. Delta state is an oil and agricultural producing state in Nigeria, situated in the region known as the South-South geo-political zone with a population of more than 4,112,445. The capital city is Asaba, located at the northern end of the state, with an estimated area of 762 square kilometres (294 sq mi), while Warri is the economic nerve center of the state and also the most populated, located in the southern end of the state. The state has a total land area of 16,842 square kilometres (6,503 sq mi).

Below is a list of Administrators and Governors of Delta State, Nigeria, since its formation on 27 August 1991.

1️⃣ LUKE CHIJIUBA OCHULOR (Military Administrator, 28 August 1991 – January 1992)
Air Commodore (retired) Luke Chijiuba Ochulor served as the first Military Administrator of Delta State, Nigeria, appointed in August 1991 after the state was formed from part of Bendel State during the military regime of General Ibrahim Babangida. He handed over to the elected civilian governor Felix Ibru in January 1992 at the start of the Nigerian Third Republic. Ochulor, Igbo in origin. was born in Okpofe Ezinihitte Local Government Area, in Mbaise Imo State Nigeria. As state governor, he was tasked with establishing administrative structures for the new state while preparing for elections and transfer to civilian rule. He created the Delta State University from the Abraka campus of the Bendel State University, and set up a commission to determine if the new university should be moved to Anwai, Asaba, a decision that could cause ethnic unrest. 

2️⃣ FELIX IBRU (Governor, January 1992 – November 1993)
Felix Ovudoroye Ibru (7 December 1935 – 12 March 2016) was a Nigerian architect the first democratically elected Governor of Delta State and Senator for Delta Central Senatorial District. Until his death he held the position of President General of the Urhobo Progressive Union (UPU). As a traditional chieftain of his homeland, Ibru bore the tribal honorific Olorogun and often used it as a pre-nominal style. This title is also borne by many of the members of his large family in the same way. Before emerging as governor, Ibru unsuccessfully contested for a seat in the Senate.

3️⃣ ABDULKADIR SHEHU (Acting Military Administrator, 17 November 1993 – 10 December 1993)
Alhaji Abdulkadir Shehu was acting Administrator of Delta State, Nigeria between November and December 1993 immediately after General Sani Abacha had assumed power from the civilian government. Shehu was Delta State Commissioner of Police, and filled in after the elected governor had been dismissed until Colonel Bassey Asuquo was appointed administrator.

4️⃣ BASSEY ASUQUO (Military Administrator, 10 December 1993 – 26 September 1994)
Bassey Asuquo was a Nigerian soldier who served as Military Administrator of Delta State between December 1993 and September 1994, and then Edo State from September 1994 to December 1996, during the military regime of General Sani Abacha. He retired as a brigadier general. In 2008, he was Clan Head of Anim Ankiong Clan Council of Odukpani Local Government area in Cross River State.

5️⃣ IBRAHIM KEFAS (Military Administrator, 26 September 1994 – 22 August 1996)
Air Commodore (retired) Ibrahim Kefas (born 27 January 1948) served as military administrator of Cross River State in Nigeria between December 1993 and September 1994, and then of Delta State until August 1996 during the military regime of General Sani Abacha. As a group captain, Kefas was appointed governor of Delta State on 26 September 1994. While governor of Delta State, he sacked professor Frank Mene Adedemiswanye Ukoli, Vice-Chancellor of Delta State University for political reasons, an incident recorded in Ukoli's book A state university is born: throes of birth, ordeals of growth. He hails from Taraba State.

6️⃣ JOHN DUNGS (Military Administrator, 22 August 1996 – 12 August 1998)
Colonel John David Dungs (retd) (3 February 1952 – 2 May 2014) served as Military Administrator of Delta State from August 1996 until August 1998 during the military regime of General Sani Abacha. He had also served as acting Military Administrator of Oyo State from 1994 to 1996. He is from the Berom people (Gbong Gwom Jos) in Jos, Plateau state.

7️⃣ WALTER FEGHABO (Military Administrator, 12 August 1998 – 29 May 1999)
Navy Commander (retd) Walter Feghabo was then appointed as administrator of Delta State in August 1998 during the transitional regime of General Abdulsalami Abubakar, handing over to the elected civilian governor James Ibori on 29 May 1999. He had earlier served as the first Military Administrator of Ebonyi State in Nigeria between October 1996 and August 1998 after Ebonyi State was created from parts of Enugu State and Abia State during the military regime of General Sani Abacha. In June 1999, all former military administrators in the Abacha and Abubakar regimes were retired by the Federal Government, including Walter Feghabo. He hails from Okpoama town in Brass Local Area of Bayelsa State.

8️⃣ JAMES IBORI (Executive Governor, 29 May 1999 – 29 May 2007)
James Onanefe Ibori (born 4 August 1959) is a Nigerian politician who was Governor of Delta State in Nigeria from 29 May 1999 to 29 May 2007. An ethnic Urhobo by descent, Ibori is a member of the People's Democratic Party (PDP). He is an influential leader in the Niger Delta region and a national figure in Nigeria. In 2012, Ibori was sentenced to 13 years in prison for money laundering. Ibori's political career began in 1990 when he joined the National Republican Convention (NRC). In 1991, he was nominated to contest for the Federal House of Representatives seat, to represent Ethiope Federal Constituency. He lost the election to the Social Democratic Party (SDP) candidate.

9️⃣ EMMANUEL UDUAGHAN (Executive Governor, 29 May 2007 – 29 May 2015)
Dr. Emmanuel Eweta Uduaghan (born 22 October 1954) was the Governor of Delta State from 2007 to 2015. He assumed office via an inconclusive election on 29 May 2007 and was a member of the People's Democratic Party (PDP). A medical doctor by profession, prior to becoming governor, he was the Commissioner for Health, Delta State and the Secretary to the State Government. Dr. Uduaghan ran again for governor in the 26 April 2011 elections, and was reelected. Udyaghan hails from Warri North Local Government Area in Delta State of Itsekiri origin.

🔟 IFEANYI OKOWA (Executive Governor, 29 May 2015 – 29 May 2023)
Ifeanyi Arthur Okowa (born 8 July 1959) is a Nigerian politician who was the Governor of Delta State. He was inaugurated as a governor on 29 May 2015 after winning the state elections conducted in April 2015. Before his governorship, he was elected senator for Delta North Senatorial District in Delta State, Nigeria, in the April 2011 national elections. He ran on the People's Democratic Party (PDP) platform. He is an Ika from Owa-Alero in Delta State, Nigeria. He is also the first person from Anioma to clinch the governorship position of Delta State. He was re-elected as the governor of Delta State on May 29, 2019.

⏸️ RT. HON. SHERIFF OBOREVWORI (Executive Governor, 29 May 2023 Incumbent)
Rt. Hon. Sheriff Francis Orohwedor Oborevwori (born 19 June 1963) is a Nigerian politician who is the current Governor of Delta State. He is the immediate past Speaker of the Delta State House of Assembly as a representative of the Okpe Constituency of Delta State under the People's Democratic Party (PDP). He was declared the governor elect of Delta state on 20 March 2023 after winning the gubernatorial elections that was conducted on 18 March 2023. Oborevwori, who began his political career as a grassroot politician, was a former Chairman of the Okpe Community. After 19 years of serving in several key government positions, first beginning as a Councillor in 1996, he was elected speaker of Delta State House of Assembly on 11 May 2017 following the impeachment of the then Speaker, Rt. Hon. Monday Igbuya.

SOURCE: Wikipedia

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