Abaribe Enyinnaya Harcourt

Enyinnaya Harcourt Abaribe, born on March 1, 1955, is a Nigerian politician who has served as senator representing the Abia South senatorial district since 2007.

He previously held the position of deputy governor in Abia State from 1999 until his resignation and subsequent impeachment in March 2003.

Abaribe was the minority leader in the Nigerian Senate during the 9th term. In January 2020, he criticized President Muhammadu Buhari over worsening insecurity in Nigeria, urging him to resign based on promises made during his 2015 campaign.

He earned a WASSCE from Government College Umuahia in 1974 and later obtained degrees in economics from the University of Benin (bachelor’s in 1979, master’s in 1982).

From 1982 to 1985, he taught at Edo State University. Between 1985 and 1991, he worked as an area manager for SCOA Nigeria in Southern Nigeria.

He later served as a senior manager for investment with Nicon from 1991 to 1992, then became CEO of Integrated Mortgage Co. (1993–1995).

After Orji Uzor Kalu’s election as governor in 1999, Abaribe was appointed deputy governor. The state’s House of Assembly impeached him twice before his third removal in 2003, prompting his resignation on March 7, 2003.

He ran for governor in 2003 under the All Nigeria Peoples Party but lost to Kalu. Re-elected to the Senate in 2007 (PDP), he faced challenges from Eric Acho Nwakanma over election validity.

Abaribe protested against the detention of MASSOB leader Ralph Uwazuruike in 2007, demanding his release alongside six other senators. He was reelected to Abia South in April 2011 and later became Senate Minority Leader on June 13, 2019.

Re-elected in the 2023 Nigerian Senate elections (PDP), he won with 49,693 votes over other candidates. He was appointed chairman of the Senate Committee on Power in August 2023.

In June 2018, he was arrested by DSS for alleged ties to IPOB leader Nnamdi Kanu but was released on bail two days later.