Former Kogi State Governor Ibrahim Idris dies in the UK — Premium Times Nigeria
Former Governor of Nigeria’s Kogi State Ibrahim Idris has died in the United Kingdom. He was 77. On Sunday, the politician’s nephew, Shehu Ahmed, confirmed the death to AIT Live television, Premium Times Nigeria reports. At the time of the source’s publication, the family had not disclosed the cause of death or information about the burial.
Idris, also known as Ibro, was the longest-serving governor in Kogi State’s history, holding office for nearly nine years. He first became governor on 29 May 2003 after defeating incumbent Governor Abubakar Audu in an election as a candidate of the People’s Democratic Party.
Elections and court rulings
Idris was re-elected in 2007, but a court annulled the voting results. The reason was the unlawful exclusion from the election of Abubakar Audu, the candidate of the All Nigeria Peoples Party. The Court of Appeal ordered a rerun election, while Kogi State House of Assembly Speaker Clarence Olafemi temporarily served as governor.
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Idris won the rerun election on 29 March 2008 and returned to office. Later, he and several other governors whose 2007 elections had been annulled argued that their four-year terms should be counted from their new swearing-in. In January 2012, Nigeria’s Supreme Court rejected this position. Idris Wada then took office after winning the state election in December 2011.
Work after governorship
Idris’s administration is associated with several infrastructure projects in the state, including the Greater Lokoja Water Scheme, the Lokoja International Market, the Confluence Stadium, and the state specialist hospital. His government also invested in education and supported the accreditation of academic programmes at the then Kogi State University in Anyigba.
Before his political career, Idris was involved in furniture manufacturing, the hotel business, construction, and trade. After his term ended, he remained active in the People’s Democratic Party and in Kogi State politics.
