As Nigeria prepares for the inauguration of another president, a claim that president-elect Bola Tinubu is the country’s 16th president is gaining prominence.

Development Diaries reports that the country’s Ministry of Interior is the latest government establishment to refer to the incoming president as Nigeria’s 16th democratically elected leader.

In a statement announcing May 29 as a work-free day for the inauguration of Tinubu and Kashim Shettima as president and vice president, respectively, the ministry referred to the former Lagos State governor as ‘the nation’s 16th democratically elected president’.

FG DECLARES MONDAY MAY 29TH, 2023 WORK FREE DAY FOR PRESIDENTIAL INAUGURATION

The Federal Government of Nigeria has declared Monday 29th, 2023, work free for all workers in the country, to commemorate the inauguration of the nation’s 16th democratically elected President. pic.twitter.com/z0smJfn2Ni

— Ministry of Interior (@MinOfInteriorNG) May 26, 2023

Some media platforms in Nigeria have also referred to him as Nigeria’s 16th president.

Tinubu, who contested on the platform of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), was declared the winner of the February 25 election on 01 March by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

Is Tinubu the 16th president of Nigeria?

Records from the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation show that Nigeria has had a combined 16 past presidents and heads of state since its independence in 1960.

The country’s first republic was from 1960 to 1966. During this period, Prime Minister Tafawa Balewa and President Nnamdi Azikiwe governed the country.

Nigeria’s first republic ended in 1966 following a bloody military coup. Four military heads of state – Major General Aguiyi Ironsi, General Yakubu Gowon, General Murtala Mohammed, and General Olusegun Obasanjo – ruled the country from 1966 to 1979.

Shehu Shagari emerged as the country’s president in 1979 as Nigeria returned to civil rule. But the second republic did not last beyond 1983 as the military regained power through Major General Muhammadu Buhari.

Between 1985 and 1999, Nigeria had four leaders, including three military rulers. General Ibrahim Babangida was head of state from 1985 to 1993 when the country was meant to return to democracy after the 1993 elections.

Ernest Shonekan headed an interim national government set up by Babangida before General Sanni Abacha (1993–1998) and General Abdulsalami Abubakar (1998–1999) took charge as heads of state.

Nigeria finally returned to democracy in 1999 when former military ruler, General Obasanjo, who ran for office on the ticket of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), was elected president.

In total, Nigeria has had six presidents – Azikiwe (1963–1966), Shagari (1979–1983), Obasanjo (1999–2007), Umaru Musa Yar’adua (2007–2009), Goodluck Jonathan (2009–2015) and Buhari (2015–2023).

While the presidents were democratically elected by Nigerians, the heads of state seized power by the barrel of a gun.

Verdict

After his inauguration on 29 May, 2023, Tinubu will become Nigeria’s seventh president. Therefore, it is incorrect to refer to him as Nigeria’s 16th president.

Photo source: Bola Ahmed Tinubu