Described variously as a man of many parts, a statesman, seasoned politician, astute administrator and one who has seen it all, Alhaji Sule Lamido is a former Governor of Jigawa State.
Born on August 30, 1948 in Bamaina, Birnin Kudu Local Government Area of Jigawa State, North West Nigeria, Alhaji Lamido began his journey in politics when he joined the left-of-the centre People’s Redemption Party (PRP) in the Second Republic. From there, he became the National Secretary of the Social Democratic Party, during the short-lived Third Republic.
During the late General Sani Abacha’s transition to civil rule programme, he was a founding member of the Social Progressive Party, where he later became the National Secretary. Like a few other national figures, who opposed what they believed to be a repressive military regime, he was imprisoned in 1998 for standing against General Abacha’s plot to perpetuate himself in office.
His bitter experience under the military regime did not dampen his spirit for public service as he later joined the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on whose platform he contested for the office of the Governor of Jigawa State in 1999. He lost the election to the All Peoples Party (APP) candidate, Ibrahim Saminu Turaki, but was appointed a foreign affairs Minister by then president, Olusegun Obasanjo in June 1999. He excelled in the foreign affairs ministry through his efforts at tackling human trafficking, child abuse, child labour and slavery.
Lamido’s unquenchable desire to alleviate the suffering of his people forced him to throw his hat into the ring of Jigawa State governorship contest again in 2007.Luck smiled on him this time and in April 2007, he won the governorship election with the help of the then incumbent governor, Saminu Turaki, who had defected to the PDP in the months leading to the election. He was sworn into office on May 29, 2007 as Governor of Jigawa State.
His ambition in politics did not end in being the state governor. In October 2017, he rolled out plans to contest for the presidential seat in 2019. He contested for the PDP presidential nomination in November 2018 but lost to Alhaji Atiku Abubakar. Despite losing the ticket, he has remained a strong political voice not only in his home state of Jigawa and the North West geopolitical zone, but also in Nigeria.