Enyinnaya Harcourt Abaribe (born 1 March 1955) is a Nigerian politician who has served as the senator representing Abia South senatorial district since 2007.[1] He previously served as deputy governor of Abia State from 1999 until his resignation and subsequent impeachment in March 2003. He was the minority leader in the 9th senate.[2][3][4]
In January 2020, Abaribe during a motion against worsening insecurity in Nigeria, asked President Muhammadu Buhari to resign[5][6] reminding president Buhari that Nigerians voted him into power in 2015 and renewed his mandate in 2019 to tackle the security situation in the country. Abaribe said Buhari had made a promise while campaigning for the presidency in 2015 that Nigerians should stone him (Buhari)[7] out of government should he fail to improve the security situation in the country. “Nigerians voted a government into power. We are going with stones to stone them now because they have failed", Abaribe's motion in the senate concluded.[8]
From 1985 until 1991, he was SCOA Nigeria's area manager for Southern Nigeria. After that, from 1991 to 1992, he was employed as Nicon's senior manager for investment. From 1993 until 1995 he was the CEO of Integrated Mortgage Co.[10]
Political career
Deputy governorship and gubernatorial run
Abaribe became Abia State's Deputy Governor after Orji Uzor Kalu's 1999 election to the Governorship.[11] The state's House of Assembly impeached the deputy governor twice in 2000[12] and a third time in 2003; as he was facing his third impeachment, he resigned on March 7, 2003, sending his resignation via DHL so as to have written record of it.[13] The House of Assembly formally voted him out of office several days later, in a move Abaribe called "medicine after death".[14]
He was succeeded as deputy governor by Eric Acho Nwakanma.
Abaribe ran for the governorship on the All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP) platform in 2003, but lost to Kalu.
Abaribe was reelected for Abia South in the April 2011 election.[18]
He is currently the chairman Senate Committee on Media and Publicity.
Abaribe was re-elected to the Nigerian 8th senate on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party in 2015 and is currently representing the people of Abia South Senatorial District in the upper chamber. On the 13 June 2019 he was appointed as the Minority leader of the Senate.[19]
He was re-elected in 2023 Election in an election victory over other candidates with a 49,693 vote poll to win Abia South senatorial district.[20]
He was named the chairman of the Senate committee on power of the 10th senate on 8 August 2023.[21]
Arrest and release
On June 22, 2018, Abaribe was arrested by the Department of State Security Services (DSS) at his barber shop located at Transcorp Hilton Hotel,[22] Abuja for his alleged links with the Indigenous People of Biafra being one of the sureties to their leader Nnamdi Kanu, he was taken to his house for a search and was later taken to the DSS detention in Abuja.[23] He was released the next Tuesday,26 June 2018 on bail.[24]
^Epia, Oke (5 September 2004). "Abia: Kalu Vs the Ngwa Rage". This Day Online. Leader & Company. Archived from the original on 16 January 2005. Retrieved 29 January 2008.
Oloyede, Dokun; Frank Kintum (25 November 2001). "Revolt of the 'Spare Tyres'". This Day Online. Leaders & Company. Archived from the original on 6 September 2005. Retrieved 29 January 2008.
Abia's current delegation to the Nigeria National Assembly
^Abaribe was elected as a member of the PDP but switched to the APC in May 2022.
^Abbo was elected as a member of the PDP but switched to the APC in November 2020.
^Akpan was elected as a member of the PDP but switched to the YPP in July 2022.
^The PDP's Ekpenyong was elected Senator in 2019 but a Court of Appeal partially annulled the results and called a supplementary election in the affected areas. Ekpenyong won the ensuing rerun election and was sworn-in again in January 2020.
^Oduah was elected as a member of the PDP but switched to the APC in August 2021 before returning to the PDP in April 2022.
^Jika was elected as a member of the APC but switched to the NNPP in June 2022.
^Bulkachuwa was elected as a member of the APC but switched to the PDP in November 2022.
^Gumau was elected as a member of the APC but switched to the NNPP in May 2022.
^The PDP's Douye Diri was elected Senator in 2019 but resigned in February 2020 after winning election to become Bayelsa State Governor. Cleopas won the ensuing bye-election and took office in December 2020.
^The PDP's Lawrence Ewhrudjakpo was elected Senator in 2019 but resigned in February 2020 after winning election to become Bayelsa State Deputy Governor. Dickson won the ensuing bye-election and took office in December 2020.
^ abIn April 2022, Adamu and Kyari resigned from the Senate after taking APC party offices the month prior.
^The PDP's Rose Okoji Oko was elected Senator in 2019 but died in March 2020. Jarigbe and fellow PDP member Stephen Odey fought in court over the ensuing by-election's PDP nomination; Odey won both initial court decisions and the by-election before taking office late in December 2020. However, Jarigbe later won several court challenges which declared him the legitimate PDP nominee and thus Senator. Jarigbe took office in September 2021.
^Nwaoboshi was elected as a member of the PDP but switched to the APC in June 2021.
^Alimikhena was elected as a member of the APC but switched to the PDP in June 2022.
^The APC's Adedayo Clement Adeyeye was elected Senator in 2019 but the NASS Election Petition Tribunal awarded and Court of Appeal affirmed the win to Olujimi. She took office in November 2019.
^Onyewuchi was elected as a member of the PDP but switched to the LP in June 2022.
^Due to disputes over alleged irregularities, the APC's Benjamin Uwajumogu was not sworn in until July 2019. Uwajumogu died in December 2019 leading to a bye-election. After disputes, Ibezim was awarded the bye-election victory and took office in April 2021.
^Due to disputes over the alleged forced declaration of his election, Okorocha was not sworn in until June 14, 2019.
^Shekarau was elected as a member of the APC but switched to the NNPP in May 2022 then to the PDP in August 2022.
^Babba Kaita was elected as a member of the APC but switched to the PDP in April 2022.
^Aliero was elected as a member of the APC but switched to the PDP in May 2022.
^Abdullahi was elected as a member of the APC but switched to the PDP in June 2022.
^The PDP's Dino Melaye was elected Senator in 2019 but Adeyemi petitioned against the results and the NASS Election Petition Tribunal annulled the results and called a new election. Adeyemi won the ensuing rerun election and took office in December 2019.
^The APC's Adebayo Osinowo was elected Senator in 2019 but died in June 2020. Abiru won the ensuing bye-election and took office in December 2020.
^Akwashiki was elected as a member of the APC but switched to the SDP in July 2022.
^The APC's David Umaru was elected Senator in 2019 but the Supreme Court awarded the APC primary win to Musa making him Senator. He took office in July 2019.
^Balogun was elected as a member of the PDP but switched to the APC in May 2022.
^The APC's Ignatius Datong Longjan was elected Senator in 2019 but died in February 2020. Daduut won the ensuing bye-election and took office in December 2020.
^The APC's Abubakar Shehu Tambuwal was elected Senator in 2019 but a Court of Appeal awarded the win to Abdullahi Danbaba. He took office in November 2019 as a member of the PDP but switched to the APC in April 2022.
^Bwacha was elected as a member of the PDP but switched to the APC in February 2022.
^ abcPrior to inauguration, the APC's Zamfara votes were voided due to improper holding of party primaries. Thus the PDP runners-up took office. All three (Anka, Hassan Muhammed Gusau, Yaú) switched to the APC in June 2021. In February 2022, Muhammed Gusau resigned to become Zamfara Deputy Governor.
