Anambra ex-governor Chukwuemeka Ezeife dies

Former Anambra State governor, Chukwuemeka Ezeife is dead.

The elder statesman died on Thursday at the age of 85.

His death was announced in a statement signed by Rob Ezeife.

“On behalf of the Ezeife Dynasty of Igbo-Ukwu, I wish to announce the promotion to glory of our most distinguished son, Okwadike, Dr. Chukwuemeka Ezeife, CON, a former federal permanent secretary, the first executive governor of Anambra State, a former political adviser to the president and former presidential aspirant,” the statement said.

“This sad event took place yesterday at 6 pm, at the Federal Medical Centre, Abuja.

“More details about the deceased and the arrangements for his state burial will be announced later,” he said.

The deceased, fondly called ‘Okwadike’, was elected governor of Anambra on the platform of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) in Nigeria's Third Republic in 1992.

He was sworn into office in January 1992 and served until November 1993, when former military dictator General Sani Abacha seized power at the center, marking the end of the second Third Republic.

Born November 20, 1938, Ezeife held a BSc in Economics from the University College Ibadan and a Masters and PhD degrees from Harvard University.

NBA