Recently, Nigeria was set ablaze by the Senator representing Abia South through his call for the President to resign. This has generated bitter name-calling, cursing and counter calls for resignation by those from APC, the government is at the center.
But in all this, it will be good to look into the life of the man at the center of all these National fire raging among Nigerians of a diverse party, ethnic, class, opinion and religion. A man whose courageous call has caused many to shamelessly unirate around to their own disgrace. Among them is the “Madam Koi Koi” of the Presidency, Loretta Onochie who lost her cool as always to regard Abaribe as a Buffoon. Also, Garba Shehu who is the president’s special adviser on Malam Garba Shehu is the Senior Special Assistant, Media, and Publicity to the Muhammadu Buhari, to say that it is foolish for anyone to ask the President to resign. Also, a faceless Igbo group known as Igbo living in Nigeria has through a press statement called for the resignation of Senator Abaribe. These many Igbo individuals have dismissed as the work of the Presidency. As many of them saying the group is unknown to the people until recently after Abaribe’s call. Many on social media saying it is a group formed by the Presidency to divert attention and course division.
But the government of Kaduna state , El Rufai took to the Twitter to differ with many of his party to say that nothing is wrong with call for the President to resign.
Senator Enyinnaya Harcourt Abaribe is a Nigerian politician who was elected to the Abia-South Senatorial District of Abia State in the Senate in April 2007. He holds the title Nwadiohanma Ngwa as an Igbo man, this he has come to prove with actions. Showing that it is not a mere title but an identity and life he live. This he has justified by his continuous stand on issues that relate to the citizens of Nigeria not minding the ethnic divide as records show from his days as the Deputy Governor of Abia state.
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Abaribe earned his West African Secondary School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) from Government College Umuahia in 1974. After this he proceeded on to the University of Benin, where he received a bachelor’s degree economics in 1979 and a master’s degree in economics in 1982. He went on to work as a lecturer at Edo State University from 1982 until 1985. By tthis one can stop wondering why he is so refined and intellectually articulated unlike many Nigerian politicians. His calm nature can only be dropped when it comes to defending the citizens.
Abaribe later joined business train from 1985 until 1991 working with SCOA Nigeria Plc a conglomerate active in furniture production and interior design, automobile assembly and distribution, power generation, retailing and trade according to Blumberg. He was SCOA Nigeria’s area manager for Southern Nigeria. After that, he was employed as Nicon’s senior manager for investment from 1991 to 1992, Then from 1993 until 1995 he was the CEO of Integrated Mortgage Co.
When Democracy returned in 1999 after being truncated by General Mohammadu Buhari Military dictatorship on December 31st 1983. He was elected as the Deputy Governor of Abia state with now jailed Orji Uzor Kanu as Governor under People’s Democratic Paty. Because of his natural trait in calling a spade a spade when it comes to issues of governance and citizen affairs, he was impeached twice by the state’s House of Assembly in 2003. But before he could be impeached for the third time he resigned on March 7, 2003, sending his resignation via DHL so as to have written record of it. The House of Assembly formally voted him out of office several days later. This move Abaribe called “medicine after death”. He was succeeded as deputy governor by Eric Acho Nwakanma .
In the same year 2003, Β Abaribe later ran for the governorship position on the platform of All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP), but lost to then-incumbent governor and former boss Orji Uzor Kalu.
Then in 2007, Abaribe was elected to the national Senate on a People’s Democratic Party (PDP) ticket. He became the Vice Chairman of the Senate Committee on Inter-Parliamentary Affairs with Senator Abdulaziz Usman from Jigawa North East Nigeria Β heading the Committee as Chairman.
As a Nigerian Senator, he is also a member of the Committees on the Independent National Electoral Commission, Senate Services, and Works.
Then in October 2007, he with other six Senators from South East protested at Federal High Court Lagos as Ralph Uwazuruike, leader of Movement for the Actualisation of the Sovereign State of Biafra (MASSOB), was on trial for treason to demand his release. It will be worthy to note that he also identified openly with Nnamdi Kanu the leader of Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB). This has earned hi arreat as he was arrested on June 22, 2018, by the Department of State Security Services (DSS) at his barbershop located at Transcorp Hilton Hotel, Abuja. He was accused of having links with the Indigenous People Of Biafra (IPOB) being one of the sureties to the IPOB leader Nnamdi Kanu. He was taken to his house for a search and was later taken to the DSS dention in Abuja. He was released the next Tuesday,26 June 2018 on bail.
In the general election of April 2018, Abaribe was reelected for Abia South on the platform of the People’s Democratic Party. He is currently the Minority leader of the Senate.
On the home front, Abaribe is married to Florence Nwamaka (nee Morris). Their marriage is blessed with three Children,; Chinonyerem Alali, Obinna Ikechukwu, Ikenna Enyinnaya Nwabueze
By Nonso Ekwunife
AFRICA DAILY NEWS, NEW YORK
