Ogbonnaya Onu (born 1 December 1951) was the first
Executive Governor of Abia State , Nigeria from February
1992 to December 1993. He was the National
Chairman of the All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP).,
until its amalgamation with other Nigerian opposition
parties in February 2013 resulted in the creation of the All
Progressives Congress .


A BRIEF PROFILE OF DR. OGBONNAYA ONU
Dr. Ogbonnaya Onu was born on December 1, 1951, to
the family of His Royal Highness, Late Eze David Aba
Onu, Eze Adu of Uburu in Ohaozara Local Government
Area of Ebonyi State in Nigeria.
He obtained grade one with distinction in his West
African School Certificate examination at Izzi High
School, Abakaliki, Ebonyi State. Dr Onu also obtained
distinctions in Physics and Chemistry at the Higher
School Certificate examination at the College of
Immaculate Conception, CIC, Enugu, graduating as the
best overall student. By 1976, he graduated with a first
class honours degree in Chemical Engineering at the
University of Lagos. He later obtained his Doctor of
Philosophy degree in Chemical Engineering (without
passing through a Masters degree) at the reputable
University of California, Berkeley, California, USA, in 1980,
where he did extensive work on coal liquefaction and
production of synthetic fuels under mild conditions. He
showed that it was possible under relatively mild
conditions to produce synthetic fuels comparable with
crude oil.
While in the University of California, Berkeley, Dr. Onu
was the President of the African Students Union; Member,
Graduate Assembly of the University of California at
Berkeley and also President of the Nigerian Association of
Northern California, Inc. Back home, he served as
President General of his alma-mater, Izzi High School,
Abakaliki, Old Boys Association.
Coming out of higher school, Dr. Onu taught at St.
Augustine’s Seminary, Ezzamgbo, Ebonyi State. After
completing his doctoral studies in the USA, he returned to
Nigeria at the time when many others in his situation
preferred to stay back. On coming back from overseas,
he taught at the University of Port Harcourt as the
pioneer Head of the Department of Chemical Engineering.
On several occasions, he served as Acting Dean of the
University’s Faculty of Engineering and was also elected
as a Member of the Governing Council of the university.
As a pioneer staff in the Faculty of Engineering and the
first Head of the Department of Chemical Engineering, he
helped nurture the department from scratch to a position
of repute. As a member of the Governing Council of the
University, he worked with others to provide leadership in
its search for excellence.
While in Port Harcourt, he became President of the
Rotary Club of Port Harcourt and the Chairman of the
Nigerian Society of Chemical Engineers of old Rivers,
Cross River and Akwa Ibom States’ Chapter. Dr. Onu was
the pioneer National President of the Raw Materials
Society of Nigeria. The Raw Materials Society of Nigeria,
RMSN, with the sole aim of encouraging Nigerians to look
inwards in the sourcing and utilization of raw materials,
played a very important role in the establishment of the
Raw Materials Research and Development Council,
RMRDC, by the Federal Government. He served as a
member of the First Board of Governors of the Federal
Government Raw Materials Research and Development
Council. By the establishment of the RMRDC, there was
no longer any need for the RMSN to continue to exist
since both of them had the same function.
Dr. Onu is a Fellow of the Nigerian Society of Chemical
Engineers, Fellow of the Nigerian Society of Engineers
and Fellow of the Nigerian Academy of Engineering. He
was also one of the longest served Directors of the
Nigeria Cement Company, Nigercem, Nkalagu, Ebonyi
State. He was the Visitor of Abia State University, Uturu.
In 1991, Dr. Onu was elected the first Governor of old
Abia State. He was the first Chairman, Conference of
Nigerian elected Governors. During his eventful tenure as
Governor, he emphasized the use of technology as an
important instrument for national development by starting
the processes for the establishment of a Technology
Village, as well as introducing computers into selected
public schools. He introduced the Free Maternal Health
Care Programme which enabled poor pregnant women to
receive free healthcare services as a measure to reduce
death during pregnancy and childbirth. Security of lives
and property were considerably enhanced such that
within a single year, the Abia State Police Command
received two letters of commendation from the Inspector
General of Police.
Dr. Onu is a resolute believer in Nigeria’s unity as an
instrument for national integration and development. As
Governor, he abolished the State of Origin Syndrome in
Abia State and led the way in appointing non-indigenes of
the State into top positions of responsibility in his
Administration.
Using the Abia Dream as a philosophy to mobilize the
people of the State to achieve excellence in all spheres of
human endeavour, Dr. Onu founded the Abia State
Polytechnic at Aba. He also established the College of
Technical Education in Arochukwu and attracted the
Michael Okpara Federal University of Agriculture at
Umudike, near Umuahia. In addition, Dr. Onu established
the Broadcasting Corporation of Abia State as well as the
National Ambassador Newspapers, which then won
several awards as the best State owned Newspaper in
Nigeria. As a God fearing leader, he christened Abia
“God’s Own State” and symbolized his noble dream for
the State by building the ‘Abia Tower of Peace’.
In 1999, he emerged the first Presidential Flagbearer of
the then All Peoples Party, APP, which was later known
as the All Nigeria Peoples Party, ANPP. A true democrat
and committed party loyalist, Dr. Onu demonstrated rare
political discipline and consistency, by remaining one of
the very few founding leaders of the opposition ANPP
who remained in the party since its inception in 1998 until
it merged into a new political party in 2013.
Little wonder, his fellow party men and women in
September 2010, in recognition of his rare political fidelity
and exemplary commitment to the party’s ideals, elected
him their National Chairman. As the Head of the leading
opposition political party, he was the Leader of Opposition
in the country.
Just within a period of two years in office, he united the
Party and repositioned it for future electoral victory. Dr.
Onu upheld internal democracy, adhered strictly to the
Constitution of the Party and also introduced reforms in
the ANPP. He initiated both a revised Manifesto and
Constitution for the Party. Through thoughtful and
fearless comments on issues of national importance, Dr.
Onu restored the lost glory of the ANPP to become a
credible opposition Party in Nigeria. A man of ideas, he
worked on ways of positioning the ANPP to lead Nigeria
into issue-based and ideas-driven politics.
In 2010, as National Chairman of the defunct ANPP, he
initiated discussions with the leadership of the defunct
Action Congress of Nigeria {ACN} on how all the major
opposition political parties could work together to effect
change in the politics of the country. Later he also
initiated meetings with the National Chairmen of all major
opposition political parties. All these efforts and many
others, finally resulted in the merger of the Action
Congress of Nigeria (ACN), All Nigeria Peoples Party
(ANPP), Congress for Progressive Change, (CPC), and
groups from the All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA),
and the Democratic Peoples Party (DPP). Hence on July
31, 2013, the All Progressives Congress (APC), came into
existence. Dr. Onu and other party leaders willingly gave
up their positions as INEC withdrew the registration of
ACN, ANPP and CPC. On November 26, 2013, the new
PDP, broke away from the ruling political party and joined
the APC. This helped make the APC, the largest
opposition political party in the history of the country. He
is presently appointed as the Secretary to the Federal
Government under President Buhari Government. For
over two decades, Dr. Onu delivered thought provoking
lectures on different contemporary issues of national and
global importance both within and outside the country.
Some of the lectures include; “Nigerians should not allow
one party rule” at the ANPP National Assembly Caucus,
National Assembly Complex, Abuja; “Upon this Rock will
Nigeria Arise” Special Session of the Kano State House of
Assembly; “It is time to stand for Something” , Special
Session of the Lagos State House of Assembly and “The
fist as symbol of strength” , Special Session of the Benue
State House of Assembly.
Others are “Taking Nigerians for granted” , Special
Session of the Yobe State House of Assembly; “The
Eagles Flight in the Global Village” , Special Session of the
Kebbi State House of Assembly and “The relevance of
Opposition Parties in deepening democracy in Africa" ,
Maiden Republic Day lecture, Ghana National Union of
Polytechnic Students, Accra.
Honoured with several awards and recognitions both
within and outside Nigeria, Dr. Onu is The 2004 Man of
the Year of the reputable American Biographical Institute.
He was honoured with the Governor of the Year (1992)
Award and also the Star Governor (1993) Award. He is a
recipient of the Kwame Nkrumah Leadership Award
2011/2012 by the West African Students Union
Parliament and also the University of Lagos Golden
Jubilee Distinguished Alumni Award.
He is an honorary citizen of many cities in the world, in
addition to the State of Texas in the United States of
America. Dr. Onu also holds many traditional chieftaincy
titles, notably: Ikeoha Uburu, Dike-Eji-Eme-Udo of
Eastern States, Akajiugo Nnewi, Ogbuagu Abiriba,
Ugochinyere Umuahia, Ozurumba Orlu, Odiukonamba
Eziudo Mbaise, Dikeora Abagana, Ikemba Afikpo. He is
also the Togbe Kwami Vidza of Kpando District, Ghana.
Dr. Onu is a member of the ancient and noble order of
the Knights of St. John International (KSJ).
He is the author of many books, notably: “Technology
and National Development”, “Building a Modern Nigeria”
and “A Footprint: Memoirs of a Chief Servant”.
A fine statesman, brilliant scholar, outstanding
intellectual, accomplished administrator, prolific author
and poet, a man of great ideas and inventions as well as a
distinguished man of exceptional principle and exemplary
character. He is married to Dr. (Mrs) Chinyere Onu, with
children.

Thanks op.

See what this hyprocrite typed because APC gave his brother this appointment.