Ebitu Ukiwe
Governor of Niger State | |
---|---|
In office December 1977 – July 1978 | |
Preceded by | Murtala Nyako |
Succeeded by | Joseph Oni |
Personal details | |
Born | British Nigeria (now Abiriba, Abia State, Nigeria ) | 26 October 1940
Spouse | Amina Ukiwe |
Military service | |
Allegiance |
|
Branch/service | Biafran War |
Okoh Ebitu Ukiwe (born 26 October 1940) is a retired Commodore in the Nigerian Navy who served as the de facto Vice President of Nigeria under military head of state General Ibrahim Babangida from 1985 to 1986.[1][2]
Family
Ukiwe was born on 26 October 1940, son of Chief Ebitu Ukiwe of Abiriba in Abia State. His father was a traditional ruler in Abiriba and Head of the Old Bende Division Local Government Appeal Court.[3]
Ukiwe joined the Nigerian Navy in 1960 as a cadet (officer), and was commissioned in 1964 with the rank of sub-lieutenant. He defected to the Biafran Armed Forces in 1966.
Biafran War
During the
Military career
Ukiwe was a member of the Supreme Military Council between 1975 and 1977.[5] General Olusegun Obasanjo appointed him military governor of Niger state in 1977. He was re-deployed to Lagos state as governor in July 1978, holding this post until October 1979.[6] He was also in the SMC under General Muhammadu Buhari from 1983 to 1985, while serving as Flag Officer, Western Naval command. He was appointed director, Naval Faculty, Jaji (1981–1984) and Flag Officer, Western Naval Command (1984–1985).[5]
Chief of General Staff
In 1985, following the 1985 Nigerian military coup d'état military head of state General Ibrahim Babangida appointed Ukiwe as Chief of General Staff, and his second-in-command.[4] In 1986, Commodore Ebitu Okoh Ukiwe, was removed as Chief of General Staff after opposing Babangida's decision to join the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation.
Later career
After retirement he joined the pro-democracy group, supporting
He became chairman of companies such as Bitu Properties, Kobimat, Bitu Promar and Rudocons. He was adviser and consultant to
In 2001, Newswatch magazine speculated that he could run for president in 2003, characterizing him as principled personality. In 2006 Ukiwe unsuccessfully ran to become
References
- ^ "Ike Nwachukwu: True reflection of what Nigeria ought to be". Vanguard News. 2022-01-12. Retrieved 2022-03-06.
- ^ "Ebitu Ukiwe biography, net worth, age, family, contact & picture". www.manpower.com.ng. Retrieved 2022-11-08.
- ^ Sefy Megafu (7 November 2002). "The Sailor Moves On". ThisDay. Retrieved 2010-03-25.
- ^ a b c CHIDI OBINECHE (December 15, 2004). "Abiriba pulls out Ukiwe". Daily Sun. Archived from the original on September 26, 2007. Retrieved 2010-03-25.
- ^ a b "Commodore Ebitu Ukiwe Chief of General Staff, August 1985 – October 1986". Profiles Nigeria. Archived from the original on 2012-03-02. Retrieved 2010-03-25.
- ^ "Nigeria States". WorldStatesmen. Retrieved 2010-03-25.
- ^ Ademola Adeyemo (12 June 2009). "June 12 - Where are the Heroes?". Retrieved 2010-03-25.
- ^ "Ebitu Ukiwe Visits Tinubu, Pledges To Reform The Polity". Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu. Nov 29, 2006. Archived from the original on July 25, 2011. Retrieved 2010-03-25.