By Oluwatosin Maliki
The ex- Governor of Anambra state, Chukwuemeka Ezeife, has passed away at the age of 85.
Ezeife died at the Federal Medical Centre, Abuja on Thursday, around 6pm.
This is according to a statement issued by his family on Friday and signed by Chief Rob Ezeife, on behalf of the family.
The statement reads, “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”.
“This sad event took place yesterday at 6pm at the Federal Medical Centre, Abuja”.
“More details about the deceased and the arrangements for his state burial will be announced later,” the statement added.
He was born on November 20, 1938, the deceased was fondly called ‘Okwadike’.
‘Okwadike’ was elected governor of Anambra state between January 1992 to November 1993 on the platform of the Social Democratic Party (SDP), in Nigeria’s third republic.
He served in capacity as governor until Sani Abacha, ex-military ruler, seized the reins of power at the centre in 1993.
In his early life, Ezeife obtained a BSc in Economics from the University College Ibadan, and bagged masters and PhD degrees from Harvard University.
When Nigeria commenced her fourth republic in 1999, Ezeife was appointed as special adviser on political matters by ex-President Olusegun Obasanjo.