Umaru Tanko Al-Makura, born in August 1952, a Nigerian businessman and politician, is the current Governor of Nassarawa State since 26 April 2011, when he was elected on the ticket of the Congress for Political Change, CPC. He was re-elected for a second term on April 11, 2015, on the ticket of the All Progressives Congress, APC.
Al-makura is a member of the Gwandara ethnic Group. He attended Dunama Primary School, Lafia (1959–1966); Keffi Teacher’s College (1967–1971) and then Government Teachers College of Education, Uyo (1972–75). For a short period in 1975 he was an Assistant Producer at the Broadcasting Corporation of Northern Nigeria. He then attended Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria (1975–1978), graduating with a Bachelor of Education Degree. For his National Youth Service Corps stint, he served as a teacher at the Government College, Makurdi.
In 1978, he formed Almakura Nigeria Limited, importing and servicing agricultural and industrial machinery. Later he ventured into real estate and property development as owner and chairman of Ta’al Nigeria Limited, with properties in Abuja, Lagos, Kano and Washington DC, United States. He owns the Ta’al Lake Resort, Abuja, and the Ta’al Conference Hotel, Lafia.
Al-makura was a founding member of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in Nasarawa State in 1998. He defected from the PDP after losing the primary elections for the Nasarawa Governorship contest but was eventually elected Governor of the state on 26 April 2011, defeating the incumbent governor, Aliyu Akwe-Doma of the PDP.
Some indigenes of Nassarawa state have hailed Governor Al-Makura as people-oriented, pointing out his passion for development projects across all the local government areas. When he submitted the 2018 State Appropriation Bill last December to the House of Assembly, he explained that the increment in the proposal was as a result of his administration’s resolve to complete all ongoing projects which he started in 2011.
As a testimony to Governor Al-Makura’s commitment to developing the state, President Muhammadu Buhari, who visited Nassarawa state last month, had to face the task of inaugurating over seven major projects completed by the state government.
