Senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria from Ebonyi State North District
In office 29 May 2015 – 14 June 2023
Preceded by
Sen. Chris Nwankwo
Governor of Ebonyi State
In office 29 May 1999 – 29 May 2007
Preceded by
Simeon Oduoye
Succeeded by
Martin Elechi
Minister of Education
In office 17 December 2008 – 17 March 2010
Preceded by
Igwe Aja-Nwachukwu
Succeeded by
Ruqayyah Ahmed Rufa'i
Personal details
Born
(1954-06-20) 20 June 1954 (age 69)
Nationality
Nigerian
Political party
People's Democratic Party (PDP)
Sam Ominyi Egwu CON (born 20 June 1954) is a Nigerian politician and member of People's Democratic Party (PDP) in Nigeria. He was elected Governor of Ebonyi State in the 1999 Ebonyi State gubernatorial election from 29 May 1999 to 29 May 2007.[1] Dr Egwu is noted as pillar of educational development in Ebonyi state and Nigeria.[2] He attended the University of Nigeria, Nsukka where he obtained a bachelor's degree in Agriculture in 1981. He later received a master's degrees in Agricultural from the University of Nigeria, Nsukka in 1987 and Doctorate in Agronomy from Enugu State University of Technology in 1996. He was a senior lecturer at Enugu State University of Technology and served as commissioner for education in Ebonyi state contributed to the successes recorded in education sector during his tenure as governor.[3]
In 2008, President Umaru Yar'Adua appointed him Minister of Education, position he held till April 2010 when he was replaced by Professor Ruqayyah Ahmed Rufa'i.[4]
Egwu was former President Olusegun Obasanjo's choice to become National Chairman of the PDP at its 2008 National Convention. However, at the convention on 8 March 2008, he withdrew in favour of the compromise candidate Prince Vincent Ogbulafor, who was chosen as an alternative to Egwu and his main rival for the position, Anyim Pius Anyim.[5]
His stay as education minister was characterized by ASUU (Academic Staff Union of Universities) and other university union strikes. This led to people demanding his sacking.[6]
In 2015, he successfully contested the senatorial seat for Ebonyi North Senatorial Zone on the platform of People's Democratic Party.[7] Currently, he is the Senate committee chairman on industry.[8][9] He is from Ohaukwu LGA of the state.
^"2023: Ebonyi governorship and zoning controversy". The Sun Nigeria. 18 February 2022. Retrieved 28 February 2022.
Sam Ominyi Egwu CON (born 20 June 1954) is a Nigerian politician and member of People's Democratic Party (PDP) in Nigeria. He was elected Governor of...
Aja-Nwachukwu (1952–2015) 26 July 2007 17 December 2008 Yar'Adua (I) 25 SamEgwu (b. 1954) 17 December 2008 17 March 2010 Jonathan (I) 26 Ruqayyah Ahmed...
Party (PDP) ticket and assumed the position on 29 May 2007, succeeding SamEgwu. Elechi ran successfully for re-election on 26 April 2011. In 2017 Elechi...
votes in the highest number of local government Areas. In 1999, Dr. Sam Ominyi Egwu was elected as the first governor of the state under the People's Democratic...
Nigeria, Nsukka was officially opened by the then minister of Education, Dr SamEgwu. The library has embraced information technology to provide an effective...
three incumbent senators were returned with Joseph Ogba (PDP-Central) and SamEgwu (PDP-North) winning re-election while Sonni Ogbuoji (APC-South) retired...
1998 Military Simeon Oduoye Administrator August 1998 May 1999 Military SamEgwu Governor 29 May 1999 29 May 2007 PDP Emmanuel Isu Martin Elechi Governor...
votes, Atiku Abubakar with 954 votes, Rochas Okorocha with 400 votes and Sam Nda-Isiah with 10 votes. Coming in second, Kwankwaso endorsed the winner...
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