Vice President of Nigeria

The vice president of Nigeria is the second-highest official in the executive branch of the federal government of Nigeria, after the president of Nigeria, and ranks first in the presidential line of succession. Officially styled Vice President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, the vice president is directly elected together with the president to a four-year term of office.

Kashim Shettima is the 15th and current vice president of Nigeria, he assumed office on 29 May 2023.

Selection

Eligibility Candidates eligible for the office of vice president must be a citizen of Nigeria by birth, at least 40 years of age, a member of a political party and is sponsored by that political party.

Oath of office The Constitution of Nigeria specifies an oath of office for the vice president of the federation. The oath is administered by the chief justice of the Supreme Court of Nigeria or the person for the time being appointed to exercise the functions of that office. It is the same oath recited by deputy state governors, ministers, commissioners and special advisers to the president.

Functions of the vice president The Vice President of Nigeria is assisted in the execution of his/her functions by the Office of the Vice President, which is managed by the Deputy Chief of Staff in the Office of President, currently Ibrahim Hadejia.

Political powers Although the vice president may take an active role in establishing policy in the executive branch by serving on such committees and councils, the relative power of the Nigerian vice president depends upon the duties delegated by the president. The vice president cannot make executive orders or decisions without the assent of the president because the president holds full executive and presidential powers.

Representative functions The vice president as the second highest official in the Nigerian government also has a role of representing the president in diplomatic occasions, military occasions, council meetings, federal committees and events or any occasions as necessary. Contrary to some opinions that the vice president has a statutory function of representing the president in any of these occasions, according to the Nigerian constitution, it is still the prerogative of the president to choose whoever is serving in the federal cabinet or the executive branch of government to represent him in any of those occasions.

Line of succession The vice president by a matter of law is not an assistant to the president, the office is fully and independently presidential, it's executive powers are hibernated until the president is unable to function by any means, in which case he or she becomes the acting president. In the instance of resignation, impeachment or death of the president, the vice president being the first in line of succession becomes the president of Nigeria.

Membership The executive functions of the Nigerian vice president includes participation in all cabinet meetings by statute and membership in the National Security Council, Federal Executive Council, the National Defence Council the Nigeria Police Council and a constitutional role of being the chairman of the National Economic Council.

Residence The vice president of Nigeria resides at Akinola Aguda House. The residence was completed and commissioned in 2024. The Federal Government maintains an official residence for the Vice President in Lagos State for use during official functions outside the capital. Under the Obasanjo government, the Vice President utilized an alternative residence within Abuja that now serves as the official quarters of the Chief Justice of Nigeria.

List of vice presidents

Military government (1966–1979)

Major Chukwuma Kaduna Nzeogwu orchestrated the bloody military coup d'état of 1966 which overthrew the First Republic, parliamentary system of government was abolished and the office of the Vice President was established with Babafemi Ogundipe becoming the first Vice President as Chief of Staff, Supreme Headquarters. Chief of Staff Term of office Military Head of State Portrait Name Took office Left office Time in office1 BrigadierBabafemi Ogundipe 16 January 1966 29 July 1966 Central Military Government Major General Johnson Aguiyi-Ironsi2 Vice AdmiralJoseph Edet Akinwale Wey 1 August 1966 29 July 1975 Federal Military Government General Yakubu Gowon3 Lieutenant GeneralOlusegun Obasanjo 29 July 1975 13 February 1976 General Murtala Muhammed4 Major GeneralShehu Musa Yar'Adua 13 February 1976 30 September 1979 General Olusegun Obasanjo

Second Republic (1979–1983)

Under the 1979 Constitution, the second constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, the president was both head of state and government. The president along with the vice president were elected for a four-year term. In the event of a vacancy, the vice president would have served as acting president.

Vice President Term of office Political partyElected President Portrait Name Took office Left office Time in office5 Alex Ifeanyichukwu Ekwueme 1 October 1979 31 December 1983 National Party of Nigeria 19791983 Alhaji Shehu Shagari

Military government (1983–1993)

Major-General Muhammadu Buhari was made military head of state following the coup d'ètat of 1983, which overthrew the Second Republic, Major General Tunde Idiagbon became the Chief of Staff, Supreme Headquarters. The position would later be referred to as the Chief of the General Staff.

Chief of Staff/Vice President Term of office Military Head of State/President Portrait Name Took office Left office Time in office6 Major GeneralTunde Idiagbon 31 December 1983 27 August 1985 Supreme Military Council Major General Muhammadu Buhari7 CommodoreEbitu Ukiwe 27 August 1985 October 1986 Armed Forces Ruling Council General Ibrahim Babangida8 AdmiralAugustus Aikhomu October 1986 26 August 1993

Interim National Government (1993)

Chief Ernest Shonekan was made interim head of state of Nigeria following the crisis of the Third Republic. He initially announced his vice president to be Moshood Abiola the supposed winner of the 12 June 1993 elections, which the latter rejected stating he was the rightful successor to the presidency.

Vice President Period Head of State Vacant 26 August 1993 17 November 1993 Chief Ernest Shonekan

Military government (1993–1999)

General Sani Abacha led the palace coup d'ètat of 1993 which overthrew the Interim National Government, Lieutenant General Oladipo Diya became the Chief of General Staff.

Chief of General Staff Term of office Military Head of State Portrait Name Took office Left office Time in office9 Lieutenant GeneralDonaldson Oladipo Diya 17 November 1993 21 December 1997 Provisional Ruling Council General Sani AbachaVacant10 Vice AdmiralMichael Akhigbe 9 June 1998 29 May 1999 Provisional Ruling Council General Abdulsalami Abubakar

Fourth Republic (1999–present)

Under the fourth Constitution of the Republic of Nigeria, the president is head of both state and government. The president along with the vice president are elected for a four-year renewable term. In the event of a vacancy, the Vice President serves as acting president. Vice President Term of office Political partyElected President Portrait Name Took office Left office Time in office11 Atiku Abubakar 29 May 1999 29 May 2007 People's Democratic Party 19992003 Chief Olusegun Obasanjo12 Goodluck Ebele Jonathan 29 May 2007 6 May 2010 People's Democratic Party 2007 Alhaji Umaru Musa Yar'AduaVacantGoodluck Jonathan13 Namadi Sambo 19 May 2010 29 May 2015 People's Democratic Party 201114 Yemi Osinbajo 29 May 2015 29 May 2023 All Progressives Congress 20152019 Muhammadu Buhari15 Kashim Shettima 29 May 2023 Incumbent All Progressives Congress 2023 Bola Tinubu

Vice presidents by time in office RankVice presidentPolitical partyTotal time in officeCause of end of term1Joseph Edet Akinwale WeyMilitaryDeposed2Atiku AbubakarPeople's Democratic Party Natural expiration Yemi OsinbajoAll Progressives CongressNatural expiration4Augustus AikhomuMilitaryResignation5Namadi SamboPeople's Democratic Party Natural expiration6Alex Ifeanyichukwu EkwuemeNational Party of Nigeria Deposed 7Donaldson Oladipo DiyaMilitaryDeposed and arrested for treason8Shehu Musa Yar'AduaMilitaryResignation9Kashim ShettimaAll Progressives CongressIn office10Goodluck Ebele JonathanPeople's Democratic Party Death of Yar'Adua11Tunde IdiagbonMilitaryDeposed12Ebitu UkiweMilitaryResignation13Michael AkhigbeMilitaryResignation14Olusegun ObasanjoMilitaryAssassination of Murtala Muhammed15Babafemi OgundipeMilitaryDeposed

Vice President of Nigeria

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