Liyel Imoke
Encyclopedia
Liyel was elected governor of Cross River State
in Nigeria
in April 2007, taking office on 29 May 2007. He is a member of the People's Democratic Party
(PDP).
Local Government Area of Cross River State.
His father, Dr. Samuel Imoke was a medical doctor who became a cabinet minister and leader of Parliament in the former Eastern Region
.
Liyel Imoke was born on 10 July 1961 at Ibadan
in the then Western Region
of Nigeria. His wife, Mrs. Obioma Imoke, is from Enugu
. They have four children.
Liyel Imoke attended Mary Knoll College, Okuku, Ogoja
and then the Federal Government College, Enugu
(1973–1977) for his secondary education. He obtained a Bachelor’s degree in International Relations and Economics at the University of Maryland
in the United States
in 1982. He then studied Law at the University of Buckingham
, England
, gaining an LLB degree in 1985, and then studied at the American University
in Washington, D.C.
where he gained a Master degree in Law. He completed his legal education at the Nigeria Law School, Lagos
, in 1988.
Liyel Imoke practiced law in Washington, D. C. and Lagos between 1982 and 1992. He was principal partner of Liyel Imoke and Co., Lagos.
transition government. His term ended with the dissolution of the government in November 1993 by the military regime headed by General Sani Abacha
Between 1993 and 1999, he was a Managing Consultant at Telsat Communications, Lagos; Executive Chairman of Value Mart Nigeria, Lagos, and Executive Director of Trident Petroleum and Gas, Lagos.
In 1999, he was appointed a Special Adviser on Public Utilities by President Olusegun Obasanjo. He was Executive Chairman of the Special Board charged with winding down the Oil Minerals Producing Areas Development Commission.
He was Chairman of Technical Board of the National Electric Power Authority.
In 2008, the House of Representatives set up a panel to look into how $16 billion for the National Integrated Power Project (NIPP) was disbursed, asking for testimony by Liyel Imoke and Olusegun Agagu
, who had also served as Minister of Power and Steel. The panel cleared Imoke of wrongdoing.
In July 2008 the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission
said that Liyel Imoke was under investigation. Imoke had lost his constitutional immunity after his election as governor of Cross River state had been annulled.
(PDP) platform. He took office on 29 May, 2007. The election was annulled by an Election Appeal Tribunal in July 2008. He was elected again in a re-run on 23 August 2008.
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...
in 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...
in April 2007, taking office on 29 May 2007. He is a member of the People's Democratic Party
People's Democratic Party (Nigeria)
The People's Democratic Party is a political party in Nigeria. Its policies generally lie towards the right wing of the political spectrum. It has won every single Presidential elections since 1999, namely: 1999, 2003, 2007, and 2011, and is the dominant party in the Fourth Republic.-History:In...
(PDP).
Background
Liyel Imoke is an Igbo from the AbiAbi, Nigeria
Abi is a Local Government Area in Cross River State, Nigeria. It contains several Igbo villages and is home to an annual cultural festival.- History and Background :...
Local Government Area of Cross River State.
His father, Dr. Samuel Imoke was a medical doctor who became a cabinet minister and leader of Parliament in the former Eastern Region
Eastern Region, Nigeria
The Eastern Region was one of Nigeria's federal divisions, dating back originally from the division of the colony Southern Nigeria in 1954. Its capital was Enugu. The region was official divided in 1967 into three new states, East-Central State, Rivers State and South-Eastern State...
.
Liyel Imoke was born on 10 July 1961 at Ibadan
Ibadan
Ibadan is the capital city of Oyo State and the third largest metropolitan area in Nigeria, after Lagos and Kano, with a population of 1,338,659 according to the 2006 census. Ibadan is also the largest metropolitan geographical area...
in the then Western Region
Western Region, Nigeria
The Western Region was a subdivision of the federation of Nigeria until 1967. Its capital was at Ibadan.It was established in the 1930s under British rule as a subdivision of the Southern Nigeria colony...
of Nigeria. His wife, Mrs. Obioma Imoke, is from Enugu
Enugu
Enugu is the capital of Enugu State in Nigeria. It is located in the southeastern area of Nigeria and is largely populated by members of the Igbo ethnic group. The city has a population of 722,664 according to the 2006 Nigerian census. The name Enugu is derived from the two Igbo words Enu Ugwu...
. They have four children.
Liyel Imoke attended Mary Knoll College, Okuku, Ogoja
Ogoja
Ogoja is a Local Government Area in Cross River State, Nigeria. Its headquarters is Ogoja town in the northeast of the area near the A4 highway at.It has an area of 972 km² and a population of 171,901 at the 2006 census....
and then the Federal Government College, Enugu
Enugu
Enugu is the capital of Enugu State in Nigeria. It is located in the southeastern area of Nigeria and is largely populated by members of the Igbo ethnic group. The city has a population of 722,664 according to the 2006 Nigerian census. The name Enugu is derived from the two Igbo words Enu Ugwu...
(1973–1977) for his secondary education. He obtained a Bachelor’s degree in International Relations and Economics at the University of Maryland
University of Maryland
When the term "University of Maryland" is used without any qualification, it generally refers to the University of Maryland, College Park.University of Maryland may refer to the following:...
in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
in 1982. He then studied Law at the University of Buckingham
University of Buckingham
The University of Buckingham is an independent, non-sectarian, research and teaching university located in Buckingham, Buckinghamshire, England, on the banks of the River Great Ouse. It was originally founded as Buckingham University College in the 1970s and received its Royal Charter from the...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, gaining an LLB degree in 1985, and then studied at the American University
American University
American University is a private, Methodist, liberal arts, and research university in Washington, D.C. The university was chartered by an Act of Congress on December 5, 1892 as "The American University", which was approved by President Benjamin Harrison on February 24, 1893...
in Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
where he gained a Master degree in Law. He completed his legal education at the Nigeria Law School, Lagos
Lagos
Lagos is a port and the most populous conurbation in Nigeria. With a population of 7,937,932, it is currently the third most populous city in Africa after Cairo and Kinshasa, and currently estimated to be the second fastest growing city in Africa...
, in 1988.
Liyel Imoke practiced law in Washington, D. C. and Lagos between 1982 and 1992. He was principal partner of Liyel Imoke and Co., Lagos.
Early political career
In 1992, Liyel Imoke was elected a Senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria at the age of 30 during the Ibrahim BabangidaIbrahim Babangida
General Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida CFR DSS mni , popularly known as IBB, was a Nigerian Army officer and military ruler of Nigeria...
transition government. His term ended with the dissolution of the government in November 1993 by the military regime headed by 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....
Between 1993 and 1999, he was a Managing Consultant at Telsat Communications, Lagos; Executive Chairman of Value Mart Nigeria, Lagos, and Executive Director of Trident Petroleum and Gas, Lagos.
In 1999, he was appointed a Special Adviser on Public Utilities by President Olusegun Obasanjo. He was Executive Chairman of the Special Board charged with winding down the Oil Minerals Producing Areas Development Commission.
He was Chairman of Technical Board of the National Electric Power Authority.
Minister of Power and Steel
In July 2003, Liyel Imoke was appointed Federal Minister of Power and Steel, and for a while was also Federal Minister of Education. Imoke implemented reforms laid out in the Nigerian Power Sector Reform Act of 2005, leading to establishment of the Nigerian Energy Regulatory Commission (NERC), the Rural Electrification Agency (REA) and the unbundling of the National Electric Power Authority (NEPA).In 2008, the House of Representatives set up a panel to look into how $16 billion for the National Integrated Power Project (NIPP) was disbursed, asking for testimony by Liyel Imoke and Olusegun Agagu
Olusegun Agagu
Olusegun Kokumo Agagu was Governor of Ondo State in Nigeria from 29 May 2003 until February 2009, when a court voided his re-election as governor on account of electoral irregularities. He was replaced as governor of Ondo State by Dr. Olusegun Mimiko, his arch political rival based on a court...
, who had also served as Minister of Power and Steel. The panel cleared Imoke of wrongdoing.
In July 2008 the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission
Economic and Financial Crimes Commission
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission is a Nigerian law enforcement agency that investigates financial crimes such as advance fee fraud and money laundering...
said that Liyel Imoke was under investigation. Imoke had lost his constitutional immunity after his election as governor of Cross River state had been annulled.
Governor of Cross River State
In April 2007, Liyel Imoke successfully ran for governor of Cross River State on the People's Democratic PartyPeople's Democratic Party (Nigeria)
The People's Democratic Party is a political party in Nigeria. Its policies generally lie towards the right wing of the political spectrum. It has won every single Presidential elections since 1999, namely: 1999, 2003, 2007, and 2011, and is the dominant party in the Fourth Republic.-History:In...
(PDP) platform. He took office on 29 May, 2007. The election was annulled by an Election Appeal Tribunal in July 2008. He was elected again in a re-run on 23 August 2008.