10 Most Influential Politicians In Nigeria 2024.
By Charles Segun Adegbite
Power is transient. Since the exist of President Muhammadu Buhari from the Aso Rock Presidential Villa on May 29, 2023, a lot of people who were either on the seat or in the corridor of power early last year, boasting of being in charge, and calling the groaning masses "wailing wailers", are out of power and becoming less relevant in the society in 2024.
From the moment Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu was sworn-in as President and Commander in Chief of the Armed Forces of Nigeria on that May 29, and the 10th Assembly of the country was inaugurated on Tuesday, June 13, a new set of men of power have emerged. And more are still emerging.
Who are the most influential politicians in Nigeria today? Well, Successful People Magazine, carried out its ranking this January, 2024, considering the power and responsibilities allocated to the office each of them occupies. Likewise, the level of the relevance and influence of others who are neither elected nor appointed currently, yet influencing a lot within the political landscape, were also considered.
The top 10 among them are unveiled below.
#1 Bola Tinubu
Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the President and Commander in Chief of the Armed Forces of Nigeria, is the political head of The Presidency, which is the most influential institution in Nigeria. This makes him the most powerful person and most influential politician in the country today.
He is also the Chairman of Economic Community of West Africa States, ECOWAS. He is a political wizard who has never lost any election he contested since he joined politics over 30years ago.
#2 Oluremi Tinubu
A former senator and seasoned politician, Mrs Tinubu is the Wife of the President and First Lady in Nigeria. She succeeded Hajia Aishat Buhari on May 29, 2023.
Senator Tinubu is the most powerful female politician and most influential woman in Nigeria today by virtue of her position as the first woman in Nigeria.
Her office gives her access to all the First Ladies and women in leadership positions across Africa and those nations Nigeria has diplomatic and bilateral relationships with across the world.
#3. Kashim Shettima
The Vice President of Nigeria, Senator Kashim Shettima, is an erstwhile governor of Borno State, former Senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and ex banker.
He is the second most influential politician in the country today, by virtue of his position as the number two citizen in the country.
#4 Godswill Obot Akpabio
The President of the Senate of Nigeria, is the No.3 Citizen and third most influential politician in the country today.
Senator Akpabio, a lawyer, is a former minister for Niger Delta Affairs (2019 to 2022) and erstwhile minority leader of the Senate(2015 -2018), who was governor of Cross Rivers State for eight years(2007- 2015) before he was elected senator in 2015.
He is the head of the legislative arm of government in Nigeria, whose sole responsibility is checking the power of the executive arm of the federal government and ensuring the president doesn't use his executive power beyond what the nation's Constitution gives him.
The buck of impeachment process of the President and Vice President stops on his table. And appointment of ministers and ambassadors can't be done without his approval. This explains the reason Nigeria presidents don't allow their opponent occupies that office.
#5 Tajudeen Abbas
The Speaker of the House of Representatives is Nigeria No.4 Citizen and another powerful politician in this most populous African country.
Rt. Hon. Abbas, a Nigerian academic before joining politics, is a prince with the traditional title of the Iyan Zazzau. His influences over the green chamber, where the making of Nigeria laws begins, is what placed him among the top 10.
The process of making any law for Nigeria and checking the excesses of the Executive arm of the FGN begins from the House of Representatives of which he is the head of the 10members that constitutes its leadership.
#6 Femi Gbajabiamila
Rt. Hon. Femi Hakeem Gbajabiamila, a former Speaker of the House of Representatives, is the Chief of Staff, CoS, to the President of Nigeria. So, he is the manager /administrative head of The Office of The President.
That office is the number one among the top five institutional offices in The Presidency. And with that position and responsibilities, he wields a lot of influence because he is the closest adviser to the President, and the one who controls the flow of information into the President's office and people's access to the President . All these make him to be the most influential non-elected public officer in Nigeria today.
#7 George Akume
Senator George Akume is the Secretary to the Government of the Federation and the Head of the Office of The Secretary to the Government of the Federation. That office is the third institutional office in The Presidency; next to the Office of The Vice President.
He is therefore third most influential person in The Presidency, according to the constitutional hierarchy. This explains how powerful he is statutorily in Nigeria.
His office is the engine room /secretariat of the National Council of State, Federal Executive Council, and other constitutional Councils which are chaired by the President or Vice President, which enables the Federal Government of Nigeria, FGN to operate. Of course, he is the one who monitors and coordinates the activities of all the ministers and indirectly all Nigeria ambassadors, since those diplomats are coordinated by the ministry of external affairs.
#8 AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq
Mallam AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, an oil magnate turned politician and former governor of Kwara State, is the chairman of Nigeria Governors' Forum, NGF.
By that position, he is the most influential among the governors in Nigeria today. Although he is not making noise about his NGF chairmanship title, his position has tremendous impacts on the country because the president of Nigeria can't rule without the support of the governors, who he leads.
#9 Olusegun Obasanjo
Chief Olusegun Matthew Aremu Obasanjo, a retired military general, farmer, author, politician, an elder statesman, former Nigeria Head of State and former executive president of Nigeria, is another highly influential politician in Nigeria today.
According to the United Nations Peacemaker, Chief Obasanjo is one of the most distinguished elder statesmen of Africa. He has been a member of the United Nations Secretary General's High-level Advisory Board on Mediation since the board was established by the UN Secretary General on 13 September 2017. And he is the only Nigerian and only male African among the 18 Board members appointed across the world.
He remains the most influential among the past Heads of State in Nigeria, in terms of their involvement in the nation's politics and relevance in international politics and diplomacy.
#10) Atiku Abubakar
The Waziri Adamawa, former Vice President of Nigeria and the presidential candidate of the Peoples' Democratic Party, PDP, in the 2019 and 2023 elections, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar is a retired custom officer, successful business man and politician with over 30years experience in politics.
He is ranked the most influential among politicians in the opposition parties in January 2024 by Successful People Magazine ranking. He beats Mr Peter Gregory Obi via his recent commitment to true opposition against the ruling party and the president, coupled with his long existing network of connections across Nigeria politically and the strength of his political party which overwhelmed Obi's Labour Party.
Atiku who is planning to run for president again in 2027, will be 80years old in November 2026.
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