Dr. Chris Nwabueze Ngige is a Nigerian politician. He was governor of Anambra State in Nigeria from 29 May 2003 to 17 March 2006 and was elected Senator for Anambra Central Constituency in April 2011. He is currently the minister of Labour and Employment.
Born on August 8, 1952 and a medical doctor by profession, he graduated from the University of Nigeria-Nsukka in 1979. After graduation, Ngige immediately went into the civil service, serving at the National Assembly and State House clinics at different times. He retired in 1998 as a Deputy Director in the Federal Ministry of Health
Thereafter, Dr. Chris Nwabueze Ngige turned to politics under the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) where he served as Assistant National Secretary and Zonal Secretary of PDP in the South East region of the country.
In 2003, he was elected governor of Anambra State in controversial circumstances. He quickly broke ranks with his political godfather, Chris Uba brother of Andy Uba, after an unsuccessful attempt on 10 July 2003 to have him removed from office, through a fabricated letter of resignation which the state assembly accepted. However, in August 2005, an election Tribunal led by Justice Nabaruma nullified Ngige’s 2003 victory. He appealed to the Nigerian Federal Court of Appeal, but the annulment was confirmed on 15 March 2006, in a judgment awarding victory to Peter Obi of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA).
Following Peter Obi’s subsequent impeachment, Ngige attempted to participate in state governorship elections in April 2007, but was frustrated by a dubious Independent National Electoral Commission and federal ‘disqualification’, even after a Federal High Court had voided the disqualification. In the final event, Obi’s impeachment was overturned anyway, and Obi served out his four years.
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On 6th February 2010, Ngige again contested for the governorship of Anambra State but lost to Peter Obi who won the election and started his second term as the governor of Anambra State.
In April 2011, Ngige ran for election for Senator of Anambra Central, on the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) platform and emerged as the winner over Prof Dora Akunyili.
Ngige’s tenure as a Senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria came to an end following his defeat in the 2015 election by Hon. Mrs Uche Ekwunife who has been sworn in as the Senator representing Anambra Central Senatorial District in the current 8th National Assembly of Nigeria.
On 11th November 2015, Ngige was named minister of Labour and Employment by President Muhammadu Buhari.
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