Clement Ebri
Encyclopedia
Clement David Ebri is a Nigeria
n politician who was elected on the NRC
platform as Governor of Cross River State
, Nigeria
between January 1992 and November 17th 1993 during the Nigerian Third Republic
, leaving office after the military coup that brought General Sani Abacha
to power.
He was a strong supporter of General Ibrahim Babangida
, who had initiated the short-lived third republic.
Local Government Area, Cross River State. He studied at Sacred Heart College, Aba, the Community Secondary School, Ugep, and the University of Nigeria
, Nsukka
.
Before entering politics, Ebri was editor of the Nigerian Chronicle and Director of the Mercantile Bank of Nigeria, and the Savannah Bank of Nigeria. He was the Chief Executive of Brecon Associates, Inter-urban Contracting Services and Dimaron Nigeria Limited
platform, being forced out of office when General Sani Abacha took power as Head of State. He contested in the 1998 All People's Party (APP) primaries to become their candidate for Cross River state governor in the 1999 elections after the return to democracy, but came second.
He was chairman of the Presidential Review Committee to examine the 1999 constitution, which made its report in 2001. One the committee's recommendations, which was not accepted, was to limit presidential and governorship terms to one single 5-year period.
(PPA), becoming national chairman.
In May 2006 Ebri urged the Federal Government to reform the Independent National Electoral Commission
(INEC) to ensure free and fair elections in 2007.
After the 2007 elections, he led the party into the Government of National Unity (GNU) under President Umaru Yar'Adua, while reserving the right to withdraw if problems arose.
He said the PPA had not compromised in joining the GNU, but said "we felt we should as well help to stabilize the polity, and add value to governance."
In February 2009 he praised the decision of the Appeal Court in Port Harcourt, Rivers State
which had annulled the decision of the Abia State
Elections Tribunal to replace Theodore Orji
of the PPA as governor by Onyema Ugochukwu
of the PDP.
In April 2009 he asked the INEC to announce the result of the Ekiti State
supplementary election immediately, and also called on police to release election monitors who were detained while performing their job during the election.
In August 2009, two weeks after Imo State Governor Ikedi Ohakim
had defected from the PPA to the PDP, Ebri resigned from the PPA chairmanship and left the party, saying he was stepping aside from politics.
Nigeria
Nigeria , officially the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is a federal constitutional republic comprising 36 states and its Federal Capital Territory, Abuja. The country is located in West Africa and shares land borders with the Republic of Benin in the west, Chad and Cameroon in the east, and Niger in...
n politician who was elected on the NRC
National Republican Convention
The National Republican Convention was a Nigerian political party established by the government of General Ibrahim Babangida and ultimately disbanded by the incoming military regime of General Sani Abacha in 1993.-Alignment:...
platform as Governor of Cross River State
Cross River State
Cross River State is a coastal state in southeastern Nigeria, bordering Cameroon to the east. Its capital is at Calabar, and it is named for the Cross River , which passes through the state...
, Nigeria
Nigeria
Nigeria , officially the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is a federal constitutional republic comprising 36 states and its Federal Capital Territory, Abuja. The country is located in West Africa and shares land borders with the Republic of Benin in the west, Chad and Cameroon in the east, and Niger in...
between January 1992 and November 17th 1993 during the Nigerian Third Republic
Nigerian Third Republic
The Third Republic was the planned republican government of Nigeria in 1993 which was to be governed by the Third Republican constitution.- Founding :...
, leaving office after the military coup that brought General Sani Abacha
Sani Abacha
General Sani Abacha was a Nigerian military leader and politician. A Kanuri from Borno by tribe, he was born and brought up in Kano, Nigeria. He was the de facto President of Nigeria from 1993 to 1998....
to power.
He was a strong supporter of General Ibrahim Babangida
Ibrahim Babangida
General Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida CFR DSS mni , popularly known as IBB, was a Nigerian Army officer and military ruler of Nigeria...
, who had initiated the short-lived third republic.
Background
Ebri was born in 11 December 1952 in Mkpani, YakurrYakurr
YakurrThe Yakurr comprises five urban settlements in Nigeria. They were formally known as Umor, Ekoli, Ilomi, Nkoibolokom and Yakurr be Ibe. Due to linguistic problems encountered by the early European visitors, the settlements have come to be known by their mispronounced versions – Ugep, Ekori,...
Local Government Area, Cross River State. He studied at Sacred Heart College, Aba, the Community Secondary School, Ugep, and the University of Nigeria
University of Nigeria
The University of Nigeria, commonly referred to as UNN, is a federal university located in Nsukka, Enugu State, Nigeria. Founded in 1955 and formally opened on 7 October 1960, the University of Nigeria has four campuses – Nsukka, Enugu and Ituku-Ozalla – located in Enugu State and one in Aba, Abia...
, Nsukka
Nsukka
Nsukka is a town and Local Government Area in South-East Nigeria in Enugu State. Other towns that share common border with Nsukka, such as Enugu Ezike, Orba and Obollo-Afor , Ede-Oballa, Uzo Uwani and Mkpologwu, now also claim the name Nsukka, hence they all collectively fall into the political...
.
Before entering politics, Ebri was editor of the Nigerian Chronicle and Director of the Mercantile Bank of Nigeria, and the Savannah Bank of Nigeria. He was the Chief Executive of Brecon Associates, Inter-urban Contracting Services and Dimaron Nigeria Limited
Early political career
Ebri was elected into the 1989 Constituent Assembly, and in 1991 was elected as the Cross River state governor on¸the National Republican ConventionNational Republican Convention
The National Republican Convention was a Nigerian political party established by the government of General Ibrahim Babangida and ultimately disbanded by the incoming military regime of General Sani Abacha in 1993.-Alignment:...
platform, being forced out of office when General Sani Abacha took power as Head of State. He contested in the 1998 All People's Party (APP) primaries to become their candidate for Cross River state governor in the 1999 elections after the return to democracy, but came second.
He was chairman of the Presidential Review Committee to examine the 1999 constitution, which made its report in 2001. One the committee's recommendations, which was not accepted, was to limit presidential and governorship terms to one single 5-year period.
Progressive Peoples Alliance Chairman
In 2006, Ebri left the All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP) to become a founding member of the Progressive Peoples AllianceProgressive Peoples Alliance
The Progressive Peoples Alliance is a political party in Nigeria. Notable members of the party include Orji Uzor Kalu.The party won gubernatorial elections in 2003 and 2007 in Abia State. The party also won the governorship election in 2007 in Imo State...
(PPA), becoming national chairman.
In May 2006 Ebri urged the Federal Government to reform the Independent National Electoral Commission
Independent National Electoral Commission
The Independent National Electoral Commission , set up in 1998, is the electoral body which was set up to oversee elections in Nigeria.The INEC has encountered several controversies in the run-up to the April 2007 general elections, including criticism about its preparedness from Sada Abubakar,...
(INEC) to ensure free and fair elections in 2007.
After the 2007 elections, he led the party into the Government of National Unity (GNU) under President Umaru Yar'Adua, while reserving the right to withdraw if problems arose.
He said the PPA had not compromised in joining the GNU, but said "we felt we should as well help to stabilize the polity, and add value to governance."
In February 2009 he praised the decision of the Appeal Court in Port Harcourt, Rivers State
Rivers State
Rivers State is one of the 36 states of Nigeria. Its capital is Port Harcourt. It is bounded on the South by the Atlantic Ocean, to the North by Imo, Abia and Anambra States, to the East by Akwa Ibom State and to the West by Bayelsa and Delta states...
which had annulled the decision of the Abia State
Abia State
Abia State is a state in southeastern Nigeria. The capital is Umuahia, although the major commercial city is Aba, formerly a British colonial government outpost. The state was created in 1991 from part of Imo State and its citizens are predominantly Igbo people...
Elections Tribunal to replace Theodore Orji
Theodore Orji
Theodore Ahamefule Orji was elected Governor of Abia State, Nigeria on May 29, 2007. Prior to his election, Orji, a career civil servant, served as the Chief of Staff to former Abia Governor, Orji Uzor Kalu.In 26 April 2011 he was reelected as Governor....
of the PPA as governor by Onyema Ugochukwu
Onyema Ugochukwu
Onyema Ugochukwu 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 .On February 25, 2008, an Abia State elections...
of the PDP.
In April 2009 he asked the INEC to announce the result of the Ekiti State
Ekiti State
Ekiti State is a state in southwest Nigeria, created on October 1, 1996 alongside five other new states by military dictator General Sani Abacha...
supplementary election immediately, and also called on police to release election monitors who were detained while performing their job during the election.
In August 2009, two weeks after Imo State Governor Ikedi Ohakim
Ikedi Ohakim
Ikedi Ohakim is a Nigerian businessman who became governor of Imo State in the Niger Delta region in May 2007, standing for the Progressive Peoples Alliance .He later switched to the People's Democratic Party .-Background:...
had defected from the PPA to the PDP, Ebri resigned from the PPA chairmanship and left the party, saying he was stepping aside from politics.