In a statement released on Sunday, Arthur Nzeribe, former senator of Nigeria, died at the age of 83. Mr Nzeribe, a well-respected businessman, was born November 2, 1938, in Oguta, Imo state.
KAMPALA | NOW THEN DIGITAL — Francis Arthur Nzeribe, a popular businessman and former senator of Nigeria has died. Mr Nzeribe, 83, was born November 2, 1938, in Oguta, Imo state. His family confirmed his death on Sunday.
- Arthur Nzeribe, a former Nigerian senator, has passed away. Mr Nzeribe, a businessman well known in Imo state, was born November 2, 1938, in Oguta. He was 83 years old, when he passed away, his family confirmed.
- It said he died on Thursday, according to a statement from three members of his family, Ojiabu Francis Anyegbu Nzeribe, Anthony Akpati Nzeribe, and Ojiabu Oliver Nwedo Nzeribe.
- According to the statement, the family has convened traditional consultations and will release a funeral programme as soon as possible.
- Many Nigerians will remember Mr Nzeribe for his role in scuttling Nigeria’s 1993 general election, which M.K.O. Abiola then won.
- Read also: Nigeria’s statistician general, Simon Harry, died on Wednesday, the National Bureau of Statistics reported.
In a joint statement signed by three members of his family, Ojiabu Francis Anyegbu Nzeribe, Anthony Akpati Nzeribe and Ojiabu Oliver Nwedo Nzeribe, the late politician was pronounced dead on Thursday.
“The Nzeribe Royal Family of Umudei Royal Village of Oguta in the Oguta Local Government Area of Imo State, in total submission to the will of God Almighty and in appreciation of a remarkably worthy life, hereby announce the death of our son, cousin, uncle, husband, father and grandfather, distinguished Senator Chief Francis Arthur Uzoma Nzeribe (Ogbuabu Oshiji, Dimanze, Oyimbaof Oguta on May 5, 2022,” the family said in the statement.
“While we are pained by this loss, we are proud of this African Legend who distinguished himself in various fields including sports, international business, politics and gave the Nzeribe brand worldwide acclaim,” the statement added.
As part of the programme, it said the family had commenced the necessary traditional consultations and would soon release details of his funeral service.
Who was Mr Nzeribe?
From October 1983 to December 1983, the politician represented Orlu Senatorial Constituency, in the First Republic. He attended church and attended Holy Ghost College.
During the First Republic, Nigeria had a republican government between 1963 and 1966, governed by a republican constitution. The government was based on a federal form of Westminster government.
Later, Nzeribe won a scholarship from the Nigerian Ports Authority to study at Portsmouth College of Technology in England. He worked with many African leaders, including Kwame Nkrumah of Ghana, whom he served as a public relations officer.
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Many Nigerians will remember Mr. Nzeribe for his role in scuttling Nigeria’s 1993 general elections, in which M.K.O. Abiola was the winner.
Francis Arthur Nzeribe is likely to have been sponsored by the military government because his Association for Better Nigeria (ABN) secured a controversial court order that the military government utilized to annul the election, considered to be the fairest in Nigeria.
Arthur Nzeribe was re-elected to the Senate in May 1999 and served until May 2007, running on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party.
Nzeribe was later permanently suspended by Nigeria’s then-Senate President, Anyim Pius, who is now a presidential aspirant, for fraud allegations amounting to $22 million.
