Governor Ibrahim Idris

Governor of Kogi State

Date of Birth: 1949
Place of Birth: Omala, Kogi State

Education: Holy Trinity Primary School, Anambra State, 1954-62; United Native Authority Primary School, 1962-63; King’s Commercial College, Buguma, 1964.

Career: Founder, Ibro Trading Company, 1960s; established Ibrahim Furniture Factory, 1970; established the Ibro Hotel, 1970; Governor, Kogi State, 2003 to date.

Commentary: Before he became Governor of Kogi state in October 2003, Idris was already a successful businessman, with a furniture factory and a three star Ibro Hotel in Abuja. This helped in his contest against Prince Abubakar Audu, whose bid to win reelection he defeated.

Idris’s own bid for reelection ran into trouble when a Court of Appeal decision threw out the 2007 election results, in which he had been declared the winner. The court ruled that the victory had violated sections of the 2006 Electoral Act. The victory had been disputed by Audu, who also claimed Idris had forged the academic certificate he used to qualify himself for the 2007 elections. According to Audu, Idris had not attended Kings Commercial College Buguma, Rivers State, as claimed. After a March 2008 rerun, Idris was reinstated as Governor.