Profile
Dr. Chris Ngige is the minister of Labour and employment in Nigeria under the tenure of President Muhammed Buhari. The ex-governor of Anambra state (2003-2006) was elected as senator of Anambra Central Constituency in April 2011. Dr Chris Ngige is a medical doctor by profession, He was a founding member of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) and in 1999 served as its Assistant National Secretary and Zonal Secretary of PDP in the South East region of the country.
Personal Life
Dr Chris Ngige is a medical doctor by profession and he graduated from the University of Nigeria-Nsukka in 1979. He is married to Dr Mrs Evelyn N. Ngige, a consultant paediatrician, and their union is blessed with 3 children. All his children are medical doctors and recently, his second son Andrew graduated from the College of Medicine, University of Abuja.
Education
| School | Qualification | Year |
| University of Nigeria Nsukka, (UNN) | Bachelors of Medicine and Surgery (BM.BCH) | 1979 |
| Peshawar | Diploma in Hospital Management | 1990 |
| Secondary School | West African School Certificate (WASC) | 1972 |
Work History
| Place | Position | Date |
| National Assembly Clinic | Medical Officer | 1980-1982 |
| Federal Government | Physician to the Senate President | 1983 |
| Federal Government special Guest House | Physician of State House | 1985-1990 |
| Federal Government State Clinic | Consultant in-charge | 1992-1993 |
| Federal Ministry of Health headquarters, Abuja | Consultant and Assistant Director in-charge of all Federal Medical Centres in Nigeria | 1994-1997 |
| Teaching Hospitals Federal Ministry of Health Abuja | Deputy Director of Hospital Services Federal Medical Centres | 1997-1998 |
Lagos State Nigeria
8 August 1952
Anambra State
All Progressive Congress (APC)
Christianity
Minister of Labour and Employment
Political History
Nigige started his political journey in 1999, he was the Assistant National Secretary and Zonal Secretary of PDP in the Southeast 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). No further appeals were possible, and Ngige accepted the judgment in good grace, calling on the people of Anambra to give their total support to his successor.
Ngige’s 33 months in office were characterised by populist programmes, especially road construction, leaving him in good standing with the electorate. 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. At the time, Ngige was also severely criticized for appearing naked at the dreaded Okija voodoo shrine during his campaign to be made governor.
On February 6, 2010, Ngige again contested for the governorship of Anambra State. Other notable politicians who contested with him included Andy Uba, Charles Soludo, Nicholas Ukachukwu, Mrs. Uche Ekwunife, Ralph Nwosu, and the incumbent governor, Peter Obi. In all, there were 25 candidates for that election. Peter Obi won that 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. After voting problems in some areas of the constituency on 9 April, the election in these areas was held on 25 April and Ngige was declared the winner over former Minister of Information and Communications Professor Dora Akunyili of the APGA, with 69,765 votes to Akunyili’s 69,292.
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. Uche Ekwunife who has been sworn in as the Senator representing Anambra Central Senatorial District in the current 8th National Assembly of Nigeria.
On November 11, 2015, Ngige was named minister of Labour and Employment by President Muhammadu Buhari.
Leadership Style/Philosophy
Awards & Honours
- Recipient of Nigeria’s National Honours of Officer of the Order of the Niger, (OON)
- Member, Nigeria G 15-Economic Cooperation Council 1990 (Special Federal Government Delegation to under study Indonesia and Malaysia economic experience in agriculture, health and technology)
- Member, Vision 2010 sub-committee on health
- Ad hoc lecturer on Budget/contract procedures to Administrative Staff College of Nigeria (ASCON) Badagary Chief Medical Directors Course 1996
- Foundation Sole Administration, Aka-Ikenga, Lagos 1988-1990
- President, Aka-Ikenga, 1992-1997
- Chairman, Alor Development Union, Lagos Branch, 1990-1999
- President General, Alor People’s Convention, 1996-1999
- Special Adviser and member Igwe Alor In-Council, 1990 – present
- Co-Convener Nkpoko Igbo, pre-constitutional conference seminar in Enugu, 1995
- Member, Ohanaeze Council of Elders and member strategic committee, 1992-1997
- Foundation Member PDP, National Level, 1998
Project
- Construction of roads in Anambra state.
Criticism/Controversy
- Allegedly coveted wife of Governor Peter Obi
- In 2003, it was revealed that Chris Ngige visited the Okija shrine in the company of Chris Uba to swear an oath of allegiance to his “political godfathers” on winning the 2003 Anambra State gubernatorial election.