Mu'azu Aliyu

Governor of Niger State

Date of Birth: 12/11/1955
Place of Birth: Minna

Education: Central Primary School, Kuta; Sultan Primary School, Sokoto, 1963-69; College of Arts and Arabic Studies, Sokoto, 1969-74; College of Education, Sokoto, 1977; Bayero University, Kano, 1983; University of Pittsburgh, 1985-89.

Career: Staff, Niger State Ministry of Education, 1978; part-time Graduate Assistant and Research Assistant/Consultant, University of Pittsburgh, 1986-89; Acting Chief Political Affairs Officer, 1990; Acting Director-General, Cabinet Secretariat, OSFG, 1994-1995; Director/Special Assistant to the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, 1995-96; Director (Maritime Services)  Ministry of Transportation, 1996-99; Governor, Niger State, 2007 to date.

Commentary: The Governor of Niger State has had a troubled relationship with the most visible politician in his state, former General Ibrahim Babangida. The General selected Aliyu as a People's Democratic Party (PDP) candidate, sending a night-time emissary to to notify him two weeks before the primaries. Since then he has been seeking to distance himself from the General, presumably to launch a bid for the presidency himself.