Former Military Governor Of Rivers State, Anthony Ukpo, Is Dead

By Akinwale Kasali

Less than a week after losing two of his elder siblings, a former Military Governor of Rivers State, Brigadier-General Anthony Ukpo, has been confirmed dead.

Ukpo, also, a former Information Minister during General Ibrahim Badamosi Babangida’s regime, died in early hours of Monday, September 6, 2021.

Breaking the news of the demise of the former Military officer is Constitutional lawyer, Leonard Anyogu.

He said, “I can confirm that the former Military Governor died this morning as a result of lingering sickness. It is very sad. Cross River State has lost an asset.”

His two older siblings that were reported to have died last week are; Madam Lydia Ukpo, who died in the USA, and Archbishop Joseph Edra Ukpo.

Ukpo was the Military Governor of Rivers State, Nigeria from August 1986 until July 1988.

Born in Okpoma, Yala, Cross River State on 16 July 1947 he enlisted into the army, and was appointed Company Commander (1968), Battalion Commander (1969 and 1971 – 1973), Brigade Major (1970) and Instructor, Nigeria Defence Academy, Kaduna (1973–1974).

He was a member of the inner circle of army officers who arranged the bloodless coup on 27 August 1985, when General Muhammadu Buhari was succeeded by General Ibrahim Babangida. After the coup he was appointed a member of the AFRC.

He was appointed deputy director, Defence Intelligence Agency (1985). On 12, September 1985, he was sworn-in as Minister of Information and Culture.

He was appointed Military Governor of Rivers State on 26 August 1986. In this postion, he inaugurated the Provisional Council of the Rivers State Polytechnic.

He was reassigned to become Principal Staff officer to President Ibrahim Babangida in July 1988. In this role in April 1990 Ukpo told reporters that 10 officers and more than 150 soldiers from the lower ranks had been arrested in an attempted coup attempt against Babangida. He retired as a Brigadier-General.

After retirement, he became a member of the Board of Directors of Skye Bank.

When former Cross River state Governor, Donald Duke, put up the Metropolitan Hotel for sale, Ukpo was said to have made the highest bid of N600 Million. His offer was turned down, and the hotel later, allegedly, sold for N200 Million. He is, however, the main brain behind Ogie Meriden Hotel, PH.

In September 2008, he presented the results of a feasibility study for a mono-rail system of transportation in Port Harcourt. Ukpo was the leader of a partnership to construct the railway.

In October 2009 the Rivers State government signed an agreement with TSI Property and Investment Holdings to undertake the project at a cost of $318 million. Ukpo said that the mono-rail would be the first of its kind in Africa.

In an interview in July 2009, Ukpo protested strongly against the recent transfer of 76 oil wells from Cross River State to Akwa Ibom State, and expressed hope that a committee set up by President Umaru Yar’Adua would find a politically reasonable solution.

He was a vocal voice in politics from the grass root to the Federal level.