There are many people who have made enough fortunes just by going into politics, while some have made their coming generations rich by their political success.
Success is not all about money, it also involves great impact recorded while in office.
Below are the 5 most successful politicians in Nigeria:-
1. Olusegun Obasanjo
Unarguably, Former President Olusegun Obasanjo is Nigeria Most Successful Politician in history. He’s the first of the only two persons to serve Nigeria as both the Military Head of State and Civilian President.
He was Nigeria Chief of Staff, Supreme Headquarters, a position equivalent to the Vice-President between 1975-1976.
He took over as Head of State in 1976 when his then boss, General Muritala Muhammed was assassinated and handed over power to a civilian President in person of late Shehu Shagari in 1979. 20 years later, Obasanjo came back as Nigeria President, this time in an ‘agbada’ and served a maximum 8 years.
This means Obasanjo had led Nigeria for a combined period of 11 years, the most by any Nigerian, dead or alive.
The Owu born man also ensured upon completion of his tenure in 2007, he installed late Umaru Musa Yar’Adua and Goodluck Jonathan as President and Vice-President respectively and that makes him the first Nigeria President to install a successor of his choice. He as well installed many Governors and National Assembly members as a sitting President. Obasanjo is also the most respected Nigerian outside the country.
2. President Muhammadu Buhari
President Muhammadu Buhari is the second person after Obasanjo to be an Head of State (Jan, 1984- August, 1985), as well as President. When he completes his present second term he’s presently serving in 2023, he would have led Nigeria for a combine period of about 10 years, only second to Obasanjo.
While Buhari may not be as politically strong or enjoys International recognition as much as Obasanjo, he is, despite losing the Presidential election 4 times, very respected politically. Buhari is probably the only Nigeria politician who could announce that he wanted One Million people to come out in the streets for some event the next day and two million would show up -without being paid to do so.
3. Bola Tinubu
There’s no political discussion that will be going on anywhere in Nigeria today without a mention of the man Tinubu. He was first elected as a Senator in 1992 before the Military Government of IBB annulled every election, he kept fighting for a return to democratic rule while in exile and became the Governor of Lagos in 1999.
Tinubu as successful installed every Lagos Governor from 1999 till date, he has also made incursion into other states. How he helped Aregbesola in Osun, Mimiko in Ondo, Fayemi in Ekiti, Oshiomole in Edo, Ajimobi in Oyo, Amosun in Ogun, Zulum in Borno, Tambuwal in Sokoto to become Governors in their respective states is a public knowledge.
Tinubu has also successfully installed people into strategic position in this country, everybody knows Nigeria current Vice-President, Prof. Yemi Osibanjo is also one of the products of Tinubu, so also is the the Speaker House of Representatives, Hon. Femi Gbajabiami.
The roll call of politicians Tinubu has built in this country in inexhaustible and unmatchable. The AC(later ACN), which merged with Buhari’s CPC and a few other parties to form APC, which dislodged PDP from Aso Rock is a brainchild of Tinubu.
One surprising thing about Tinubu is, unlike others, Tinubu did not hold any political office while achieving all of these. The last political position he held was in 2007, yet he’s far bigger than he was in 2007.
4. David Mark
Like Obasanjo and Buhari, David Mark has military background too. He was the Military Governor of Niger state between 1984-1986. He later served a Communication Minister under the regime of General Ibrahim Babangida. When the Military rule returned in 1999, Mark contested for the Benue South Senate seat and won. He would go on to spend 20 years in the Senate between 1999-2019, making him the longest serving Senator in Nigeria.
David Mark became Nigeria Senate President in 2007, a position he held for 8-year. Mark remains the longest serving Senate President in Nigeria history, he is as well the only Senate President to serve two different President; Umar Yar’Adua and Goodluck Jonathan. He’s no doubt one of the most Successful Nigerian Politician.
5. Ahmed Lawan
Ahmed Lawan is the current Senate President and the President of the National Assembly. Unlike David Mark, Lawan years in the National Assembly split between the lower and the upper chamber.
He was first elected into the NA in 1999 as an House of Representatives member for two terms – from 1999-2007, before his election to the Senate. He made an attempt to become Nigeria Senate President in 2015, but lost out to Senator Bukola Saraki, and had to settle for the position of the Senate Leader. He was eventually elected the Nigeria Senate President in June 2019.
There is a possibility of Lawan returning to the Senate in 2023, but even without that, by the end of this dispensation, he would have spent 24-year at the National Assembly. For a man who’s only 60, that’s no small feat. Lawan is definitely one of the most successful Nigerian Politician.
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