SPMGN SPECIAL REPORT (Revised): PROFILES OF NIGERIAN PRESIDENTIALCANDIDATES
Rogu...@aol.com
on in Naija, a popular race within election races is where you stand on the
ballot. Looking at this profile of candidates, one cannot but wonder where the
sympathy of the compiler of this lies. While the short write-ups are helpful,
could the candidates have been profiled in an alphabetical order? Or were they
listed in the order of culpability for the plight of Naija today and how we
got there?
R. O.
In a message dated 99-02-13 08:10:47 EST, mal...@cldc.howard.edu writes:
<< Subj: SPMGN SPECIAL REPORT (Revised): PROFILES OF NIGERIAN
PRESIDENTIALCANDIDATES
Date: 99-02-13 08:10:47 EST
From: mal...@cldc.howard.edu (Mobolaji E. Aluko)
Sender: owner-n...@esosoft.com
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Revisions to last Special Report (dated Friday February 12, 1999) are:
1. Tonye Alabo Graham-Douglas' biography now included.
2. Correction to Olu Falae's web-site - correct one is
[http://www.alliance-democracy.com/olufalae.htm]
__________________________________________________________________________
SHADOW PRESIDENTIAL MONITOR GROUP OF NIGERIA (SPMGN)
SPMGN SPECIAL REPORT: PROFILES OF NIGERIAN PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATES
___________________________________________________________________________
Saturday, February 13, 1999
By Monday, February 15, 1999, all the presidential candidates of the three
Nigerian political parties - the Alliance for Democracy (AD) [Chief Olu
Falae], the All Peoples Party (APP) and the Peoples' Democratic Party
(PDP) - should have been known, all things being equal. Below we bring to
you, courtesy of various sources, brief profiles of the candidates being
touted, as well as more detailed profiless of some of the candidates.
For the sake of Nigeria, may the contests be free and fair, and may the
best persons win!
The Director of Research, SPMGN
Attached: (1) Brief Profiles: Reuters Report
(2) More Detailed Profiles of Some of the Candidates
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1. BRIEF PROFILES (Reuters Report)
Nigerian candidates competing for the presidency
08:34 a.m. Feb 11, 1999 Eastern
LAGOS, Feb 11 (Reuters) - Nigeria's political parties are due to pick
presidential contenders this weekend for February 27 elections to decide a
successor to military ruler General Abdulsalami Abubakar.
Below are brief sketches of the parties and contenders.
The PEOPLES DEMOCRATIC PARTY (PDP) which holds its convention in Jos,
central Nigeria, is a coalition of veteran politicians of differing views,
built around a group which opposed the ambition of late dictator Sani
Abacha. Candidates are:
OLUSEGUN OBASANJO - In 1979, Obasanjo became Nigeria's only military ruler
to hand power to an elected government. Obasanjo, 61, is favoured by many
in the military and northern Nigeria despite coming from the Yoruba
southwest.
ALEX EKWUEME - Ekwueme, 66, was vice-president in Nigeria's last civilian
regime which was toppled in 1983. A PDP founder, Ekwueme has massive
support among his Ibo people of the southeast who fought an unsuccessful
war to secede in the 1960s.
DON ETIEBET - A former oil minister whose previous presidential ambitions
were scuttled under Abacha. Etiebet is from a minority ethnic group in
southeastern Nigeria.
PHILLIP ASIODU - Asiodu, 64, is better known for serving as one of
Nigeria's most senior civil servants than as a politician. He is from
southern Nigeria.
TONYE GRAHAM-DOUGLAS - Graham-Douglas is a former minister from the
oil-producing region of southern Nigeria.
ABUBAKAR RIMI - The only aspirant from the Hausa-speaking north, Rimi
defied others in the party who said it was the turn of southern Nigeria to
produce the president.
JIM NWOBODO - A former sports minister under Abacha. Obasanjo's backers
hope Nwobodo will draw some of Ekwueme's Ibo support but he is not
expected to win the nomination.
The right of centre ALL PEOPLES PARTY (APP) and left-leaning ALLIANCE FOR
DEMOCRACY (AD) have said they will back a joint candidate as the only way
to checkmate the PDP. Their convention will be held in the northern city
of Kaduna.
OLU FALAE - Former finance minister Falae, 60, has already been picked as
contender for the Yoruba-dominated AD. If he does not win the nomination
it would put in question the participation of the AD in the alliance --
essential if it is to win.
OLUSOLA SARAKI - From the northern fringe of the Yoruba ethnic group.
Saraki's ambition has deeply divided the APP, most of whose members say
the presidency should go to the South.
GAMALIEL ONOSODE - Industrialist and Baptist deacon who has only recently
entered politics by joining the APP.
EMMANUEL IWUANYANWU - Political veteran, APP founder member and wealthy
newspaper publisher from Ibo southeast Nigeria.
BODE OLAJUMOKE - Olajumoke stood outside the mainstream of southwest
Nigerian politics during the Abacha era, when many fellow Yoruba
politicians were locked up for dissent.
JOSEPH WAYAS - Former senate president from minority ethnic group in
southeastern Nigeria.
EDET AMANA - Businessman from southeastern minority group.
HARRI AKANDE - Southwestern businessman who only recently joined the
contest.
OGBONNAYA ONU - Joined contest at last minute after failing to win
governorship election in his southeastern state.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
-
2. MORE DETAILED PROFILES OF SOME OF THE CANDIDATES (in alphabetical
order)
[Main Source: Nigerian Handbook & Review 1997; Published by Patike
Communications Ltd, Surulere, Lagos. Six of the nine biographies were
taken from the Handbook, while those of Falae, Onosode and Tonye-Douglas,
which were not in the hand-book, were compiled from other sources.]
1. ASIODU, Party: PDP
(Chief) Philip, [B.A., M.A]
Captain of Industry, was born February 16, 1934 in Lagos. He attended
Sacred Heart School, Calabar 1939-42; Hope Waddell Training Instittue,
Calabar 1943-44; St. Paul Catholic School, Ebute-Metta, Lagos, 1944-45;
King's College Lagos, 1945-52; Queen's College University of Oxford,
England, 1953-56. His appointments include: Head, Chancery, Nigerian
Permanent Mission to the United Nations; Deputy Permanent Secretary,
Ministry of External Affairs, Lagos; and later Permanent Secretary in the
Ministry of Industries, Mines and Power. He left government in 1975 and
became a private enterpreneur. Chief Asiodu who is the Ozoma of Asaba is
presently a member of the board of various companies which include: Medife
Company Limited, Summit Furniture Factory, Asaba; Bendel Feeds and Flour
Mills, Ewu; and Nigerian German Business Council; former chairman, ECO
Bank Nigeria Ltd. He was a member of the Constituent Assembly. Chief
Asiodu is married to Eugenia Olajumoke Pereira and they have 3 daughters
and two sons.
2. EKWUEME, Party: PDP
(Dr.) Alex Ifeanyichukwu
Born at the village of Oko, in Aguata Local Government Area of Anambra
State, on 21st October, 1932. He was the third out of the seven children
of Mr. Lazarus Ibeabuchi Ekwueme and Mrs. Agnes Nkowodinma Ekwueme. His
grandfather was Chief Oraechete Ekwueme, a "Warrant Chief" of Oko. He
attended Oko Anglican School and the Anglican Central School in Ekwulobia
in Aguata. He left the school in 1944 and in 1945 started his secondary
education on a government scholarship at King's College, Lagos He left
King's College in 1950. After brief stints as a clerk in the Nigeria
Railways, Technical Assistant and Science Instructor at King's College and
Physics Master at Hussey College, Warri, Dr. Ekwueme left Nigeria for the
United States in 1952 on a Fulbright Scholarship. From then until
December 1956, he was a student in Sociology and Architecture and Town
Planning at the University of Washington [SEATTLE.] He earned a B.A.
degree in Sociology in 1955, B. Arch. In 1956 and M.A. (Urban Planning) in
1957 all from the same university. The thesis submitted in partial
fulfilment of his Master's degree dwelt on the Neighborhood Unit concept
in City Planning Design, and Consideration of its Possible Application to
Development and Redevelopment of Lagos. He also got a Bachelor of Arts
degree as an external student from the University of London in 1955,
offering three subjects: History of Philosophy, History and
Constitutional Law. In 1976, after twenty years' break, he went back for
more academic laurels. In 1978, he obtained an LLB (Hons) degree from the
University of Strathclyde, Glasgow. His thesis for the PhD was on Nigeria
Housing Policy: Some Aspects of Non-Subsidized Public Housing.
Vice-President, Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1979-1983; and member
National Constitutional Conference, 1994-1995.
URL: http://www.alex-ekwueme.org
3. ETIEBET, Party: PDP
Don Obot
Etiebet, Don, Obot, BsC. MSc, ARSM, FCOAN, scientist, politician, and
businessman, born 15th September 1944, Ikot Epuk, Oruk-Anam Local
Government Area, Akwa Ibom State. Married with six children. Education:
Government School, Ikot Ibritan, Oruk Anam Local Government Area, Akwa
Ibom State, 1957; Holy Family College, Abak, Akwa Ibom, 1957-62; College
of Imacculate Conception, Enugu, Enugu State; 1962-64 & 1965, Imperial
College of Science and Technology, London, England,;1967 Associate of the
Royal School of Mines (ARSM) in Petroleum Technology; 1969 University of
Western Ontario, Ontario, Canada. Scholarship: Federal Government of
Nigeria Schoolarship to study Peteroleum Techology at Imperial College of
Science and Technology, London 1966-71; National Research Council of
Canada Scholarship to research in Auto-Mobile Continuing Techniques at the
Universityo f Western Ontario, Ontario, Canada, September 1969-71;
Studies in Sales, Marketing and support of Computing and Information
Technology Equipment (under the sponsorship of Digital Equipment
Corporation); tutor, Cornelia Connelly College, Uyo, Akwa Ibom State,
January-Septemeber 1965; Stella Marris College, Port Harcourt, Rivers
State, January-September 1966; member, Oil Drilling Crew with Shell/NAM
Oil Company, Holland, 1967; became Petroleum Geologist with Imperial
College of Science and Technology Field Project in Passwang, Switzerland,
1968; also crew member, Institute of Ireland, 1969; Lecturer, University
of Western Ontario, Canada, October 1969 - April 1971; joined with Rio
Tinto Candian Exploration Limited, Toronto, Canda on ground follow-up of
Airborne Geomagnetic Anomalies; worked as Research Assistant at the
Exploration Department of Ministry of Energy, Mines and Resources, Ottawa,
Canda on Computer-assisted grinding and continuing techniques of
irregularly spaced aeromagnetic data; University of Ibadan Institute of
Technology, 1972/73 As lecturer. Business interests: Chairman, Managing
Director and Chief Executive Officer, Earth Sciences Limited, Data
Sciences Nigeria Limited, Obodex Nigeria Limited; Chairman, Hymark Nigeria
Limited, Cadun Communications Limited, Etiebet and Company Limited;
appointed member, National Research Council of Nigeria, 1974-77; member
Governing Council, College of Technology, Calabar, Cross-River State,
1976-79; Chairman, Management Board of International Bureau for
Formatics, Regional Training Cetnre for English-speaking African States (A
UNESCO Agency for training of government personnel in computers and
informatics), 1980-83; Vice-President, Computer Association of Nigeria,
1983-87; President, Computer Association of Nigeria. Honours: Life
Fellow, Computer Association of Nigeria, member of board of trustees of
National Sciences and Technology Fund, 1991-93; member, Board of Nigerian
Communications Commission, 1993; appointed Honourable Secretary of
Petroleum in the ING Government, 1992; Former Minister of Petroleum and
Energy, Founder and ex-National leader, National Centre Party of Nigeria
(NCPN), later to become member, United Nigeria Congress Party (UNCP).
Hobbies: Lawn Tennis, swimming, current affairs.
4. FALAE Party: AD
Samuel, Olu (Chief)
Botn September 21, 1938; Married with 6 children; Primary - St. Davids
Primary School, Akure; 1944; Secondary at Igbobi College, Yaba; WASc
1951-55 and Government College, Ibadan; HSc 1958-59; University at
University College, Ibadan; 1960-63 and graduate work at Yale University,
New Haven, CT (M.A. Econs) ; 1963 Appointed Assistant Secretary, National
Manpower Board, later Principal Assistant Secretary (1970) and Senior
Assistant Secretary (1971) Transferred Central Planning,; August
1973 Chief Planning Officer, then Assistant Director (May 1974) ; October
1975 Director, Central Planning Office; April 1977: Appointed Permanent
Secretary; June 1979: Became Managing Director, Nigerian Merchant Bank;
January 1986: Appointed Secretary to the Federal Military Government of
Nigeria ; December 1989: Appointed Federal Minister of Finance and
Economic Development : 1990: Voluntarily resigned from ministership. In
terms of international exposure: Sept - Dec 1969: Adviser to the Nigerian
Delegation to the UN General Assembly ; July 1970: Leader of Nigerian
Delegation to UN Conference on the Second Development Decade, Geneva ;
April/May 1971: Member, Nigerian delegate to the World Bank Consultants
Meeting on Nigeria ; May 1971 Member, Negotiating team of the World Bank
Programme on Nigeria ; July/Sept 1978: Study tour of Venezuela and Mexico
to observe the development of the oil industry in the economies of the
Third World ; Feb. 1979: Participant and leader of delegation, European
Forum, Davos, Switzerland; 1980-81: Elected Chairman to the Governing
Board of African Training and Research Center : 1988: Attended
International RoundTable Conference, Tokyo; April 1989: Attended
International Conference on Economic Development and Adjustment, Peking;;
1988: Study Visit to UK on Civil Service Structure and Reform; 1988: Study
tour to the USA to visit the White House and other organs of the United
States Government ; March, Aug 1990 Leader of Nigerian delegation to
negotiate the re-scheduling of Nigeria's debt with the London Club; 1990:
Chairman Interim Committee of the African Development Bank to finalise its
10-year Loaning programme, Paris, France; May 1990: Chairman, Annual
General Meeting of ADB, Abidjan; May 1990: Leader, Nigerian Ministerial
delegation to the ECOWAS Ministerial meeting, Banjul, Gambia; 1991:
Leader, Nigerian delegation to the Governing Council of the UN Development
Programme, Geneva, Switzerland.; 1990: Leader, Nigerian delegation to
EEC/A.
URL: http://www.alliance-democracy.com/olufalae.htm
5. GRAHAM-DOUGLAS, Party: PDP
Tonye, Alabo
Born on May 8, 1939 in Abonnema, Degema in Rivers State; attended Bishop
Crowther Memorial School Abonnema between 1947-50; Government School,
Lagos, 1951-54; Baptist High School, Port Harcourt 1956-60; Federal
Emergency Science School, Lagos 1960-62, Acton Technical School, London,
1963-65 and University of Lagos, 1965 - 69; Administrative Assistant,
Nigerian Petroleum Refinery Company (NPRC), Port Harcourt, 1969-70;
Information/Communication Officer, 1970-71 and later Administrative
Manager NPRC, Port Harcourt between 1975 -77; appointed the Aviation
Minister by the Babangida administration.
6. IWUAYANWU Party: APP
Emmanuel, Chief (Dr.)
Civil Engineer, Philantropist, Industrialist and Publisher born Septemeber
4, 1942, in Atta, Ikedurru, Imo State. He has contributed immensely to
the development of sports, industry, education and other causes within and
outside Nigeria. Notable among which are his contributions to the Imo
Airport Appeal Fund, National Olympic Committeee Appeal Fund, Iwuayanwu
Foundation, numerous welfare funds and science development funds all over
the country. Educated at St. Patricks School, Rumuapara, Port Harcourt,
New Bethel College, Onisths, Morgan State University, Maryland, USA. He
has earned himself traditional titles of Omeroha I Atta, Eji Agamba of
Iheduru, Oekosis Kufferemba of Mbaise, Anaghieguiyi of Orlu, and Onwa Na
Agbara Oha of Orji. Chief Iwuayanwu was a site Engineer, Nigerian
Construction and Furniture Company; member Governing Council, University
of Nigeria, Nsukka; Chairman/Managing Director, Hardel and Enic Group of
Companies; Chairman, ABC Merchant Bank Limited; President Owerri Chamber
of Commerce, Industries, Mines and Agricultrre; Chairman, Raw Materials
Research and Development Council; Chairman Joint Council/Senate Committee
of University of Nigeria Endowment Football Club; Chairman/Publisher,
Champion Newspapers Limited/ Bestowed with the national honor of member of
the Order of the Federal Republic (MFR), 1981; Ambassador extraordinary,
Long Leaf Pine, staff of North Carolina, USA; Doctor of Laws (Hon. LLD),
Shaw University, Raleigh, North Carolina, USA; Doctor of Business
Administration (Hon DCs), University of Jos, February 1989. Author of "The
Role of Roads in Agricultural Development in Nigeria", 1980 and "Oxidation
Pond for Sewage Treatment in Tropical Countries", 1971. An NRC
presidential aspirant in the botched 3rd Republic. Was a national
executive member of the United Nigerian Congress Party (UNCP). He is
married with children.
7. OBASANJO, Party: PDP
Olusegun (Lt.-General, rtd)
Former Head of State, retired soldier and farmer from Ogun State, was born
on 5 May, 1937 in Abeokuta. He attended Baptist High School, Abeokuta;
Mons Officer Cadets Schoo;, Royal Engineers Young Offecer Course,
Shrievham, England; Indian Staff College, 1965 and Royal College of
Defence Studies, London, 1973-74. General Obasanjo was Gen. Officer
Commanding 3rd Marine Commando Div., Nigeria Army 1969-73; 1976-79 Head
of State and Commander in Chief of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. A
fellow of the Institute of African Studies University of Ibadan, He is
presently a farmer and enjoys playing table tennis, squash and snooker.
URL: http://www.obasanjo-campaign.com.ng
8. ONOSODE, Party: APP
Gamaliel
Age 65 years , born May 22, 1933. From Ughelli,, Delta State . Married
to: Susan Ebiuwa 'Elsie' Gbinigie (since 1960); Four sons, two daughters.
A Baptist. Primary school at Baptist School, Oginibonear Ughelli
1940-1946; secondary school at Government College, Ughelli ; BS Classics
from the University College, Ibadan, 1957. Post-graduate training
programme Cambridge University. Assistant General Manager , Federal
Mortgage Bank (1962); Investment Executive, Nigeria Industrial Development
Bank (NIDB) ; Secretary, Assistant GM (1965). Investment Manager, Phillip
Hill (Nigeria) Limited (1965); Chairman and Chief Executive, NAL Merchant
Bank; CEO, Inter Commerce and Consulting Associates Limited (1973);
Chairman of Board of Dunlop, Cadbury, etc.; Member of Board of Nigeria
Acceptances Limited, Phillip Hill Nominees Limited, etc. Budget Affairs
Advisor etc. during the Shagari regime; Chairman, Project Review Comittee
during the Buhari regime; Chairman, Working Committee of Liquified Natural
Gas Project during the Babangida regime; Member of the defunct Social
Democratic Party (SDP) and United Nigeria Congress Party (UNCP) , former
senatorial candidate of UNCP. Nickname: "Mr Integrity."
9. RIMI, Party: PDP
(Alhaji) Mohammed Abubakar
A politician, born in 1940, Rimi Sumaila, Kano State; married, has five
sons, two daughters. Education: Junior Primary School, Sumaila, 1950-56;
Senior Primary School, Birwin Kudu, 1956-58, Institute of Administration,
Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, 1961; University of London, UK , 1972-74;
University of Sussex, Brighton, UK, 1974-74; worked at the Institution of
Administration, Zaria, 1961-62; Instructor, Clerical Training Centre,
Sokoto, 1962-64; Served in Treasury Department, Kano Local Government,
Kano, 1965-66; Information Officer, Federal Ministry of Information,
Lagos, 1966-70; Information and Culture Attache, Nigerian Embassy, Cairo,
Egypt, 1970-72; Administrative Secretary, Nigerian Institute of
International Affairs, Lagos, 1976-77; member Constituent Assembly,
1977-78; First Civilian Governor, Kano State, 1979-83; Former Minister of
Communication. Political Parties: member, defunct Northern Elements
Progressive Union (NEPU), 1964; Foundation member, banned People's
Redemption Party (PRP), 1978-83.
_____________________________________________________________________________
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