Theodore Orji | |
---|---|
Senator for Abia Central | |
In office 9 June 2015 –11 June 2023 | |
Preceded by | Nkechi Justina Nwaogu |
Succeeded by | Darlington Nwokocha |
8th Governor of Abia State | |
In office 29 May 2007 –29 May 2015 | |
Deputy |
|
Preceded by | Orji Uzor Kalu |
Succeeded by | Okezie Ikpeazu |
Personal details | |
Born | Theodore Ahamefule Orji 11 November 1950 [1] Umuahia, Southern Region, British Nigeria (now in Abia State, Nigeria) |
Political party | Peoples Democratic Party (before 2006; 2010–present) |
Other political affiliations | Progressive Peoples Alliance (2006–2010) |
Spouse | Mercy Odochi Orji |
Children | 5 |
Occupation | Politician |
Theodore Ahamefule Orji CON (born 11 November 1950) [2] is a Nigerian politician who served as the senator representing Abia Central senatorial district from 2015 to 2023. He previously served as the governor of Abia State from 2007 to 2015. [3] He was formerly a career civil servant, and served as the chief of staff to Abia State Governor Orji Uzor Kalu. [4]
Orji before becoming the governor of Abia State was formerly a career civil servant where he served at the Abia State Government House as a Principal Secretary. He was later appointed Chief of Staff to the then Abia State Governor, Chief Orji Uzor Kalu. [5]
He served as a Senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, where he Chaired the Senate Committee on Privatization and was the Vice Chairman, Senate Committee on Agriculture. [6] [7]
After completing the National Youth Service Corps Scheme, he began working as an Administrative Officer in the old Imo State Civil Service Commission in 1979. When Abia State was created in 1991, Orji returned to Umuahia, where he served in several administrative positions, including the Government House, Umuahia, Bureau of Budget and Planning and Ministry of Agriculture. [8]
In March 1996, he was seconded to the National Electoral Commission of Nigeria (NECON), now INEC, Abia State, as the Administrative Secretary. [9] He was later reassigned to Enugu State in 1997 to supervise the elections that ushered in the current democratic dispensation in Nigeria. After the polls, Orji returned to Abia State, where he subsequently served in various capacities in the Cabinet Office, Ministry of Lands and Survey, Ministry of Agriculture, and Abia State Government House. [10]
In December 2006, Senator Orji won the gubernatorial primaries of the Progressive Peoples Alliance (PPA) to contest the 2007 governorship elections in Abia State. On April 14, 2007, he was elected Governor of Abia State, as declared by the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC. He was sworn in on May 29, 2007 as the third Executive Governor of Abia State. [11] [12] In 2011, he re-contested and won a second term. [3]
In 2021, Senator Orji announced his retirement from active politics after completing his second tenure as Senator, representing Abia Central Senatorial District. [13]
While in office, Orji constructed and completed the 10,000 International Conference Center in Umuahia. [14] In 2015, Orji commissioned several Federal High Court complexes in Abia State. [15] He is also responsible for the Reconstruction of the Abia State House of Assembly as well as the construction of 28 constituency offices at the complex for members of parliaments. In 2012 The Nation, described the construction of the Ministry of Justice in Abia State as a "legacy ". [16]
Chief T.A. Orji has been recognised and conferred many traditional titles, including Ochendo Ibeku, Utuagbaigwe of Ngwaland, and Ohazurume of Abia South. He is married to Mercy Odochi Orji, and they have five children. [19]
Abia State is a state in the South-East geopolitical zone of Nigeria, it is bordered to the northwest by Anambra State and northeast by the states of Enugu, and Ebonyi, Imo State to the west, Cross River State to the east, Akwa Ibom State to the southeast, and Rivers State to the south. Abia is the only Southeastern state that has boundaries with the other four Southeastern states in Nigeria. It takes its name from the acronym for four of the state's most populated regions: Aba, Bende, Isuikwuato, and Afikpo. The state capital is Umuahia while the largest city and commercial centre is Aba.
Orji Uzor Kalu is a Nigerian politician and businessman who is the senator representing Abia North Senatorial District. He served as governor of Abia State from 29 May 1999 to 29 May 2007. Kalu is the chairman of SLOK Holding and the Daily Sun and New Telegraph newspapers in Nigeria.
Onyema UgochukwuCON is a Nigerian economist, journalist, and politician. Ugochukwu served as the senior Special Adviser on Communication to Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo and the first Executive Chairman of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC). On 25 February 2008, an Abia State elections tribunal declared Ugochukwu the winner of the 2007 gubernatorial election and Governor-elect of Abia State. However, on 11 February 2009 an appeal court in Port Harcourt overturned the ruling, declaring that Theodore Orji of the PPA had in fact won the election.
The governor of Abia State is the head of government of Abia State in Nigeria. The governor is the head of the executive branch of the Abia State Government. The governor has a duty to enforce state laws and the power to either approve or veto bills passed by the Abia State House of Assembly, to convene the legislature and grant pardons.
The Progressive Peoples Alliance (PPA) is a political party in Nigeria.
Enyinnaya Harcourt Abaribe is a Nigerian politician who has served as the senator representing Abia South senatorial district since 2007. 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.
Ohafia is an Igbo town in the Ohafia local government area (LGA) in Abia State, Nigeria. It is an Igbo speaking region. The ancestral capital of Ohafia town is the centrally located village of Elu. Ohafia Local Government Area, is an administrative jurisdiction assigned by the Nigeria Government, which covers the entire Ohafia villages and other towns such as Abiriba and Nkporo, with its Administrative Headquarters at Ebem Ohafia.
Abia Warriors Football Club is a Nigerian professional football club based in the city of Umuahia, Abia state.
Mao Arukwe Ohuabunwa is a Nigerian politician, businessman and a former Senator who represented Abia North Senatorial District in the 8th National Assembly having served in the 4th and 5th National Assembly as Member representing Arochukwu/Ohafia constituency of Abia State under the People's Democratic Party between 1999 and 2007.
Chinedum Enyinnaya Orji is a Nigerian politician and former member of parliament who represented Umuahia Central State Constituency. He served as the 11th Speaker of the Abia State House of Assembly since June 10, 2019 till June 10, 2023. He was unanimously elected as the Speaker of the Abia State House of Assembly on the 10th of June, 2019 during the Inauguration of the 7th Abia State House of Assembly.
The 2019 Abia State gubernatorial election occurred on March 9, 2019. Incumbent PDP Governor Okezie Ikpeazu won re-election for a second term, defeating APC's Uchechukwu Sampson Ogah, and several minor party candidates. The major contenders for the race signed a peace accord agreement in January 2019.
The 2003 Abia State gubernatorial election occurred on April 19, 2003. Incumbent Governor, PDP's Orji Uzor Kalu won election for a second term, defeating his former deputy, ANPP's Eyinnaya Abaribe, and two other candidates.
The 1999 Abia State gubernatorial election occurred in Nigeria on January 9, 1999. The PDP nominee Orji Uzor Kalu won the election, defeating the APP candidate.
Benjamin Okezie Kalu, is a Nigerian politician who is the current deputy speaker of the House of Representatives of Nigeria since 2023, he won election to the position unopposed. He is representing Bende federal constituency in the House.
The 2023 Abia State gubernatorial election took place on 18 March 2023, to elect the Governor of Abia State, concurrent with elections to the Abia State House of Assembly as well as twenty-seven other gubernatorial elections and elections to all other state houses of assembly. The election—which was postponed from its original 11 March date—will be held three weeks after the presidential election and National Assembly elections. Incumbent PDP governor Okezie Ikpeazu was term-limited and could not seek a third term. Alex Otti, a banker, gained the office for the Labour Party by a margin of victory over first runner-up and PDP nominee—Okey Ahiwe, the former Chief of Staff to Ikpeazu.
The 2019 Nigerian Senate election in Abia State was held on February 23, 2019, to elect members of the Nigerian Senate to represent Abia State. Enyinnaya Abaribe representing Abia South and Theodore Orji representing Abia Central won on the platform of Peoples Democratic Party, while Orji Uzor Kalu representing Abia North won on the platform of All Progressives Congress.
The 2023 Nigerian Senate elections in Abia State will be held on 25 February 2023, to elect the 3 federal Senators from Abia State, one from each of the state's three senatorial districts. The elections will coincide with the 2023 presidential election, as well as other elections to the Senate, and elections to the House of Representatives; with state elections being held two weeks later. Primaries were held between 4 April and 9 June 2022.
The 2023 Abia State House of Assembly election was take place on 18 March 2023, to elect members of the Abia State House of Assembly. The election was held concurrent with the state gubernatorial election as well as twenty-seven other gubernatorial elections and elections to all other state houses of assembly. It was held three weeks after the presidential election and National Assembly elections.
Kelechi Onuzuruike is a Nigerian politician. He is the Deputy Chief Whip of the Abia State House of Assembly. He currently represents Umuahia North state constituency in the Abia State House of Assembly.
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