Lawal Kaita
Encyclopedia
Lawal Kaita was elected on the National Party of Nigeria
(NPN) platform as governor of Kaduna State
, Nigeria
, holding office between October and December 1983, when the Nigerian Second Republic
ended with the coup that brought General Muhammadu Buhari
to power.
He continued to be an active and influential politician in the Nigerian Fourth Republic
, and was one of the founders of the Action Congress
(AC) party in September 2006.
in the far North of Nigeria.
He is a blood relative of President Umaru Musa Yar'Adua
, and a member of royal family of Nagogo, traditional rulers of the Emirate of Katsina.
He attended Barewa College
, Zaria
(1946-1950).
Later he studied at the London School of Economics
(1971-1972).
Returning to Nigeria, he joined the Kaduna State civil service.
He was in turn Secretary to the State Water Board (1973-1975), Commissioner for Economic Planning (1975-1976) and Deputy Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Works of Kaduna State (1976-1977).
(1980-1982).
In 1979, he was narrowly defeated by Abdulkadir Balarabe Musa
in the election for Governor of Kaduna State.
Kaita helped the NPN to impeach Musa in June 1981.
Kaita contested the emirship of Katsina in 1982 after the death of the late Emir Usman Nagogo.
He was returned as Governor of Kaduna State in the 1983 election, holding office briefly until the military coup in December that year.
After General Shehu Musa Yar'Adua
was jailed in 1995 by the Sani Abacha
government, Kaita was appointed leader of Yar'Adua's Peoples Democratic Movement (PDM).
Kaita was a member of the Constitutional Conference (1994-1995).
He was a founding member of the People's Democratic Party
PDP in 1998.
In August 2001 he was engaged in a struggle for control of the PDM movement with the Minister of Works and Housing, Chief Tony Anenih.
In May 2002 he was president of the Nigerian polo association.
In June 2003 he was chairman of the Maritime Authority, a member of the board of trustees of the PDP, and was also a director of the SGBN Bank.
Later Kaita left the PDP to join others in forming the Action Congress
(AC) party in September 2006, the platform on which Vice President Atiku Abubakar
launched his unsuccessful bid for the Presidency in 2007.
In the run-up to the elections the 74 year old Kaita was arrested by the State Security Services on charges that he had recruited and trained hooligans.
In March 2010 there were rumors that Kaita might be returning to the PDP following a meeting with the Katsina State
Governor Ibrahim Shema and other PDP leaders.
In a newspaper interview in April 2010, Kaita said that as chairman of a conclave of Atiku Abubakar's associates, he expected Atiku to rejoin the PDP.
On 19 August 2010, Kaita was received back to the PDP by Governor Shema, in an event attended by 50,000 decampees from the Action Congress in Ingawa, Kusada and Kankiya local governments.
National Party of Nigeria
The National Party of Nigeria was the dominant political party in Nigeria during the Second Republic .-Formation:The party's beginning could be traced to private and sometimes secret meetings among key Northern Nigerian leaders after the proscription of political parties in 1966 by the military...
(NPN) platform as governor of Kaduna State
Kaduna State
-History:The state is the successor to the old Northern Region of Nigeria, which had its capital at Kaduna. In 1967 this was split up into six states, one of which was the North-Central State, whose name was changed to Kaduna State in 1976. This was further divided in 1987, losing the area now part...
, Nigeria
Nigeria
Nigeria , officially the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is a federal constitutional republic comprising 36 states and its Federal Capital Territory, Abuja. The country is located in West Africa and shares land borders with the Republic of Benin in the west, Chad and Cameroon in the east, and Niger in...
, holding office between October and December 1983, when the Nigerian Second Republic
Nigerian Second Republic
The Second Republic was the republican government of Nigeria between 1979 and 1983 governed by the second republican constitution.- Founding :...
ended with the coup that brought General Muhammadu Buhari
Muhammadu Buhari
Muhammadu Buhari was a military ruler of Nigeria and an unsuccessful candidate for president in the 2003, 2007 and 2011 presidential elections...
to power.
He continued to be an active and influential politician in the Nigerian Fourth Republic
Nigerian Fourth Republic
The Fourth Republic is the republican government of Nigeria. Since 1999 it has governed the country according to the fourth republican constitution. It was in many ways a revival of the Second Republic, which was in place between 1979 and 1983 and suffers many of the same problems, such as multiple...
, and was one of the founders of the Action Congress
Action Congress
The Action Congress of Nigeria , formerly known as Action Congress , is a classical liberal Nigerian political party formed via the merger of the Alliance for Democracy, the Justice Party, the Advance Congress of Democrats, and several other minor political parties in September 2006. The party...
(AC) party in September 2006.
Background
Kaita was born on 4 October 1932 in KatsinaKatsina
Katsina is a city , and a Local Government Area in northern Nigeria, and is the capital of Katsina State. Katsina is located some 160 miles east of the city of Sokoto, and 84 miles northwest of Kano, close to the border with Niger. As of 2007, Katsina's estimated population was 459,022...
in the far North of Nigeria.
He is a blood relative of President Umaru Musa Yar'Adua
Umaru Musa Yar'Adua
Umaru Musa Yar'Adua was the President of Nigeria and the 13th Head of State. He served as governor of Katsina State in northern Nigeria from 29 May 1999 to 28 May 2007. He was declared the winner of the controversial Nigerian presidential election held on 21 April 2007, and was sworn in on 29 May...
, and a member of royal family of Nagogo, traditional rulers of the Emirate of Katsina.
He attended Barewa College
Barewa College
Barewa College is a college in Zaria, Kaduna State, northern Nigeria. Founded in 1922 by British Governor General Hugh Clifford, it was originally known as "Katsina College." It switched its name to "Kaduna College" in 1938 and then "Government College, Zaria" in 1949 before settling on "Barewa...
, Zaria
Zaria
Zaria may refer to:*Zaria, a city in Kaduna State, Nigeria*Zaria , or Zoria, the Slavic goddess of beauty*Countess Zaria of Orange-Nassau, Jonkvrouwe van Amsberg, a member of the Dutch royal family...
(1946-1950).
Later he studied at the London School of Economics
London School of Economics
The London School of Economics and Political Science is a public research university specialised in the social sciences located in London, United Kingdom, and a constituent college of the federal University of London...
(1971-1972).
Returning to Nigeria, he joined the Kaduna State civil service.
He was in turn Secretary to the State Water Board (1973-1975), Commissioner for Economic Planning (1975-1976) and Deputy Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Works of Kaduna State (1976-1977).
Early political career
Kaita was appointed a Member of the Constituent Assembly (1977-1978) and became Special Assistant to President Shehu ShagariShehu Shagari
Shehu Usman Aliyu Shagari, Turakin Sakkwato served as the President of Nigeria's Second Republic , after the handover of power by General Olusegun Obasanjo's military government....
(1980-1982).
In 1979, he was narrowly defeated by Abdulkadir Balarabe Musa
Abdulkadir Balarabe Musa
Abdulkadir Balarabe Musa is a left-wing Nigerian politician who was elected Governor of Kaduna State, Nigeria during the Nigerian Second Republic, holding office from October 1979 until he was impeached on 23 June 1981....
in the election for Governor of Kaduna State.
Kaita helped the NPN to impeach Musa in June 1981.
Kaita contested the emirship of Katsina in 1982 after the death of the late Emir Usman Nagogo.
He was returned as Governor of Kaduna State in the 1983 election, holding office briefly until the military coup in December that year.
After General Shehu Musa Yar'Adua
Shehu Musa Yar'Adua
Major General Shehu Musa Yar'Adua was a Nigerian businessman, soldier, and politician. He was the older brother of former Nigerian President Umaru Yar'Adua. Following his training at the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst in Sandhurst, England, Yar'Adua participated in the Nigerian Civil War...
was jailed in 1995 by the Sani Abacha
Sani Abacha
General Sani Abacha was a Nigerian military leader and politician. A Kanuri from Borno by tribe, he was born and brought up in Kano, Nigeria. He was the de facto President of Nigeria from 1993 to 1998....
government, Kaita was appointed leader of Yar'Adua's Peoples Democratic Movement (PDM).
Kaita was a member of the Constitutional Conference (1994-1995).
He was a founding member of the People's Democratic Party
People's Democratic Party (Nigeria)
The People's Democratic Party is a political party in Nigeria. Its policies generally lie towards the right wing of the political spectrum. It has won every single Presidential elections since 1999, namely: 1999, 2003, 2007, and 2011, and is the dominant party in the Fourth Republic.-History:In...
PDP in 1998.
Fourth Republic
The administration of President Olusegun Obasanjo which came to power in May 1999 appointed Kaita chairman of one of the lucrative parastatals in the Ministry of Transport.In August 2001 he was engaged in a struggle for control of the PDM movement with the Minister of Works and Housing, Chief Tony Anenih.
In May 2002 he was president of the Nigerian polo association.
In June 2003 he was chairman of the Maritime Authority, a member of the board of trustees of the PDP, and was also a director of the SGBN Bank.
Later Kaita left the PDP to join others in forming the Action Congress
Action Congress
The Action Congress of Nigeria , formerly known as Action Congress , is a classical liberal Nigerian political party formed via the merger of the Alliance for Democracy, the Justice Party, the Advance Congress of Democrats, and several other minor political parties in September 2006. The party...
(AC) party in September 2006, the platform on which Vice President Atiku Abubakar
Atiku Abubakar
Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, alias Turakin Adamawa, GCON was the Vice-President of Nigeria from 1999 to 2007. He is a Muslim native of Adamawa State, and was an influential member of the ruling People's Democratic Party until 2006 when he switched affiliation to the Action Congress party...
launched his unsuccessful bid for the Presidency in 2007.
In the run-up to the elections the 74 year old Kaita was arrested by the State Security Services on charges that he had recruited and trained hooligans.
In March 2010 there were rumors that Kaita might be returning to the PDP following a meeting with the Katsina State
Katsina State
Katsina State is a state in northern Nigeria. Its capital is Katsina, and its governor is Ibrahim Shema, a member of the People's Democratic Party...
Governor Ibrahim Shema and other PDP leaders.
In a newspaper interview in April 2010, Kaita said that as chairman of a conclave of Atiku Abubakar's associates, he expected Atiku to rejoin the PDP.
On 19 August 2010, Kaita was received back to the PDP by Governor Shema, in an event attended by 50,000 decampees from the Action Congress in Ingawa, Kusada and Kankiya local governments.