Victor Attah

Victor Bassey Attah
2nd Governor of Akwa Ibom State
In office 29 May 1999 – 29 May 2007
Preceded by	John Ebiye
Succeeded by	Godswill Akpabio
Personal details
Born	20 November 1938 Okop Ndua Erong, Asutan Ekpe, Ibesikpo Asutan LGA, Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria

Obong Victor Bassey Attah (born 20 November 1938) was governor of Akwa Ibom State in Nigeria from 29 May 1999 to 29 May 2007. He was a member of the Board of Trustees of the People's Democratic Party (PDP), but has since joined the All Progressives Congress.

Background

Obong Victor Attah was born on 20 November 1938. He completed post-primary education in 1956. He gained a degree from Leeds College of Art and a post graduate diploma in Building Science from Liverpool University in 1965. He won the scholarship to study at Columbia University in New York, where he obtained an MA in Advanced Architectural Design and Planning. He also attended the Kennedy Graduate School of Governance at Harvard University. After completing his education, he practised as an architect in the Caribbean, New York, and Nigeria. He served as the National President of the Nigerian Institute of Architects.^[1]

Governor of Akwa Ibom

Victor Attah was elected governor of Akwa Ibom in 1999 on the PDP platform, and was re-elected 2003. He was elected Chairman of the Forum of the 36 Governors of Nigeria in 2003.^[2]

In 2001, Victor Attah travelled to the United States with as many as 21 people in search of foreign investors. This visit and others produced tangible results.^[3] He promised to improve telecoms, electrical power supply, and air transport infrastructure, and to replicate Silicon Valley in Uyo.^[4] He planned to build an airport in Uyo before he left office in 2007.^[5] He laid the foundation for the establishment of the Akwa Ibom State University of Technology.^[6]

Obong Attah ran for the 2007 presidential nomination of the Peoples Democratic Party in 2007, but later withdrew.^[7]

Later career

He is very much loved and respected by all the ethnic groups in Akwa Ibom State and was given the honour as 'The Father of Modern Akwa Ibom. In November 2007, Victor Attah challenged the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to arrest him if the commission had anything against him.^[8] In September 2009 the Nigerian Justice Minister and Attorney General, Michael Aondoakaa, said he would not release any Nigerians in response to a warrant of arrest issued by the London Metropolitan Police over alleged money laundering and corrupt offences emanating from the $38 million Virgin Mobile shares acquisition. Former state governors James Ibori of Delta State, Ahmed Bola Tinubu of Lagos State and Victor Attah had been accused of money laundering in the transaction.^[9] Aondoakaa said he had no conflict with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).^[10] However, EFCC chairman Farida Waziri denied that the EFCC had exonerated any of the suspects and insisted that the investigation was ongoing. The EFCC was said to be ready to co-operate with the MET police.^[11]

In March 2008, Victor Attah joined ExecutiveAction, a consultancy that helps firms manage problems in difficult business environments.^[12]

References

1. "Obong Victor Attah". AfricanSuccess. Retrieved 5 December 2009.
2. "Governor Obong Victor Attah: Akwa Ibom and Nigeria at Heart". Government of Akwa Ibom State. 7 August 2004. Retrieved 5 December 2009.
3. Ejiro Imireh (29 October 2008). "The North & oil: Nyako’s useful intervention". Daily Sun. Retrieved 5 December 2009.
4. "Obong Victor Attah – A visionary statesman at 71". Nigerian Compass. 22 November 2009. Retrieved 5 December 2009.
5. Amaze Obi (16 February 2004). "Aboard Slok Air's inaugural flight". Daily Sun. Retrieved 5 December 2009.
6. Udeme Nana. "Obong Victor Attah, A Visionary Statesman at 71". weekly Insight. Retrieved 5 December 2009.
7. Dominic Akpan (22 February 2009). "Aide Denies Former Governor Attah's Senate Ambition". The Pioneer. Retrieved 5 December 2009.
8. Philip NWOSU and Muyiwa OYINLOLA (13 November 2007). "Arrest me if I'm corrupt – Attah tells EFCC". Daily Sun. Retrieved 5 December 2009.
9. MURPHY GANAGANA (11 September 2009). "Ribadu behind problems of Ibori, others … Says they would not be released for trial in UK". Daily Sun. Retrieved 5 December 2009.
10. Godwin Tsa (14 September 2009). "$38m V-Mobile shares: I won’t join issues with Farida". Daily Sun. Retrieved 5 December 2009.
11. "London Police to EFCC; Produce Ibori, Attah, 25 witnesses". Elombah. 20 September 2009. Retrieved 5 December 2009.
12. "Former Nigerian Governor Victor Attah Joins ExecutiveAction – "The Problem Solving Company".". ExecutiveAction. 4 March 2008. Retrieved 5 December 2009.