Egwu Samuel Ominyi

Sam Ominyi Egwu, born on 20 June 1954, is an Igbo politician affiliated with the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

He served as Governor of Ebonyi State from 1999 to 2007, known for his contributions to educational development in the state and Nigeria.

Egwu earned a bachelor’s degree in Agriculture from the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, in 1981. He later obtained a master’s degree in Agriculture from the same institution in 1987 and a doctorate in Agronomy from Enugu State University of Technology in 1996.

As a senior lecturer at Enugu State University of Technology, he later held the position of Commissioner for Education in Ebonyi State, advancing educational reforms during his tenure.

In 2008, President Umaru Yar’Adua appointed him Minister of Education, a role he held until April 2010. His tenure was marked by strikes by ASUU and other university unions, leading to demands for his removal.

Egwu was initially considered a candidate for the PDP’s National Chairman position in 2008 but withdrew, supporting Prince Vincent Ogbulafor as a compromise candidate over rival Anyim Pius Anyim.

He later contested and won the 2015 senatorial election for Ebonyi North Senatorial Zone under the PDP. Currently, he chairs the Senate committee on industry.

A member of the Ohaukwu Local Government Area in Ebonyi State, Egwu holds the Commander of the Order of the Niger (CON) and honorary doctorates from the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (2006) and Ebonyi State University, Abakaliki (2008).