THE OFFICE OF THE DEPUTY GOVERNOR

The Office of Deputy Governor is a creation of the 1979 constitution which was designed to guide the country in its practice of the presidential system of government. Ever since, that Office has become an integral part of the country's democratic experience, with some occupants rising to become Chief Executives of their respective States. They include the incumbent Vice President, Goodluck Jonathan, who became Governor when the Governor of Bayelsa State, Alamasiegha was impeached. Boni Haruna, also emerged Governor, when Chief Olusegun Obasanjo picked Alhaji Atiku , then Governor Elect of Adamawa State, as Vice President.. Others have proceeded to occupy other top political appointments . Senator Iyiola Omisore, former Deputy Governor of Osun State, is presently a senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

Constitutional Provisions of the Office

The 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria , explicitly made provision for the Office of the Deputy Governor as stated in section 186 that, there shall be for each State of the Federation, a Deputy Governor. It states further in section 187 (1), that in any election to which the foregoing provisions of this part of this Chapter relate, candidate for the office of Governor of a State shall not be deemed to have been validly nominated for such office unless he nominates another candidate as his associate for his running for the office of Governor, who is to occupy the office of Deputy Governor; and that candidate shall be deemed to have been duly elected to the office of Deputy Governor if the candidate who nominated him is duly elected as Governor in accordance with said provisions.

It goes further to state in section 187 (2), that qualification for election, tenure of office, disqualifications, declaration of assets and liabilities and Oath of Governor , apply in relation to the Office of Deputy Governor, as if references to Governor were references to Deputy Governor. In other words, the constitutional provision for qualification into the Office of the Deputy Governor, is same in every sense to that of the Governor.

To further underscore the political relevance of the Office of the Deputy Governor in the political equation of the nation, the 1999 Constitution clearly affirms that whenever the Governor proceeds on vacation or for any reason, or could not discharge the functions of his office, such functions shall be discharged by the Deputy Governor.

Aside holding forth for the Governor while the latter is on vacation or is incapacitated in any way, the Deputy Governor of a State, according to section 191 (2), shall hold the Office of Governor of the State, if the office of Governor becomes vacant by reason of death, resignation, impeachment, permanent incapacity or removal of the Governor from office for any other reason in accordance with section 188 or 189 of the 1999 constitution.

Equally, it is stated in section 181 (1) that if a duly elected governor dies before taking and subscribing the Oath of Allegiance and Oath of office, or is unable to be sworn in, the person elected with him as Deputy Governor shall be sworn in as Governor and shall nominate a new Deputy Governor who shall be appointed by the Governor with the approval of a simple majority of the House of Assembly of the State.

On the replacement of a Deputy Governor, section 191 (3c) states that if by reason of death, resignation, impeachment, permanent incapacity or removal or for any other reason, the Governor shall nominate and with the approval of the House of Assembly of the State, appoint a new Deputy Governor.