As political activities gather momentum ahead of the 2019 governorship election in Akwa Ibom State, the profile of former Deputy Governor, Obong Nsima Udo Ekere, continues to attract attention across the state’s political landscape.
Ekere, who is seeking the governorship ticket of the All Progressives Congress (APC), has built a career that spans business, real estate, public administration and politics.
His return to the centre of Akwa Ibom politics has generated considerable interest, particularly following his appointment as Managing Director of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) in 2016.
President Muhammadu Buhari appointed Ekere alongside former Senate Leader Victor Ndoma-Egba, who became chairman of the commission, while the Senate subsequently confirmed their appointments.
Educational Background
Nsima Udo Ekere was born on May 29, 1965, in Ikot Oboroenyin, Edemaya Clan, Ikot Abasi Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State.
Nsima Udo Ekere was born on May 29, 1965, in Ikot Oboroenyin, Edemaya Clan, Ikot Abasi Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State.
He began his secondary education at Regina Coeli College, Essene, Ikot Abasi, and later completed it at Mary Knoll College, Ogoja, in present-day Cross River State.
Ekere briefly attended The Polytechnic, Calabar, before proceeding to the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, where he obtained a Bachelor of Science degree in Estate Management in 1986.
He is a Fellow of the Nigerian Institution of Estate Surveyors and Valuers (FNIVS) and has been associated with professional bodies in the real estate and valuation sector.
Building A Career In Business
Ekere ventured into business before entering full-time public service. In 1989, he established Gassons Nigeria Limited, an indigenous company involved in anti-corrosion, environmental, fabrication and maintenance engineering services.
He later established Ekere and Associates, a firm of estate valuers and real estate development consultants, with operations in cities including Port Harcourt, Lagos, Abuja and Uyo.
His professional activities also saw him serve on the boards of organisations including Voice of Nigeria, Universal Energy Resources Limited and Anchor Insurance.
In March 2008, Ekere was appointed Executive Chairman of the Akwa Ibom Investment and Industrial Promotion Council, where he became involved in the state’s investment and industrial promotion efforts.He also served as Chairman of Ibom Power Company.
His Political Journey
Ekere’s political journey dates back to the late 1990s when he contested and won a seat in the Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly during the transition programme under the late General Sani Abacha.
Ekere’s political journey dates back to the late 1990s when he contested and won a seat in the Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly during the transition programme under the late General Sani Abacha.
He was, however, not inaugurated before Abacha’s death in June 1998 brought the transition programme to an end.
During the subsequent transition programme under General Abdulsalami Abubakar, Ekere joined the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and became active in Akwa Ibom politics.
He eventually emerged as Deputy Governor of Akwa Ibom State on May 29, 2011, serving alongside Governor Godswill Akpabio. Ekere resigned from office on October 31, 2012, citing personal reasons.
His political career later took another turn during the build-up to the 2015 governorship election. Ekere was among the aspirants who contested the PDP ticket and subsequently left the party for the APC.
The NDDC Chapter
Ekere’s appointment as Managing Director of the Niger Delta Development Commission brought him back into national public service.
He was appointed to lead the commission in 2016 and was subsequently confirmed by the Senate.
His tenure at the NDDC further raised his national profile, particularly as the commission remained one of the Federal Government’s major intervention agencies in the Niger Delta region.
By 2018, his political ambitions had become increasingly visible as he prepared to seek the APC governorship ticket in Akwa Ibom.
2019 Governorship Ambition
Ekere’s bid comes against the backdrop of significant political realignments in Akwa Ibom State.
The political landscape changed further following the movement of former Governor Godswill Akpabio from the PDP to the APC. Akpabio’s defection generated considerable discussion about the balance of political forces in the state and the possible implications for the 2019 election.
Ekere and Akpabio had previously worked together in the Akwa Ibom political structure, although their relationship had also gone through periods of disagreement, particularly around the state’s succession politics.
By this period, however, the two politicians were again operating within the APC and campaigning around the party’s prospects in the state.
A Contender From Akwa Ibom South
Ekere’s supporters point to his experience in the private sector, his previous position as Deputy Governor and his role at the NDDC as part of the credentials he is bringing into the governorship contest.
His political base in Akwa Ibom South and his longstanding involvement in the state’s political affairs have also made him one of the prominent figures to watch as the APC prepares for its governorship primary.
At the time, however, the APC ticket had yet to be determined, and Ekere was still one of several aspirants seeking the party’s nomination.
His political journey would ultimately reach another important stage when he emerged as the APC’s governorship candidate for the 2019 election after the party’s primary process.
For now, attention remains focused on how the contest within the APC unfolds and whether Ekere can translate his political experience, business background and public-sector profile into the party’s support ahead of the 2019 governorship election.
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