Patrick Ifeanyi Ubah (3 September 1971 – 27 July 2024) was a Nigerian politician and businessman who served as the

senator A senate is a deliberative assembly, often the upper house or Legislative chamber, chamber of a bicameral legislature. The name comes from the Ancient Rome, ancient Roman Senate (Latin: ''Senatus''), so-called as an assembly of the senior ...

representing Anambra South senatorial district from 2019 until his death on 27 July 2024. He was the CEO of Capital Oil (CCO), which he founded in 2001.

Childhood and education

Ifeanyi was born as the first son of seven children to Mr. & Mrs. Alphonsus Ubah in

Otolo Otolo is a town in Nnewi North, Anambra State, Nigeria. Otolo is the premier quarter in Nnewi among the four quarters of Nnewi town. Others are Umudim, Uruagu and Nnewichi Nnewichi is a town in Nnewi North, Anambra State with villages such a ...

, one of the four quarters of

Nnewi Nnewi is a commercial and industrial city in Anambra State, southeastern Nigeria. It is the second largest city in Anambra state after Onitsha . Nnewi as a metropolitan area has two local government area, which are Nnewi North and Nnewi South, a ...

Anambra State Anambra () is a States of Nigeria, state in Nigeria. It is located in the South East (Nigeria), South-eastern region of the country. The state was created on 27 August 1991. Anambra state is bounded by Delta State to the west, Imo State and Ri ...

, Nigeria. Due to the inability of his parents to cater for the educational and material needs of their children, Ifeanyi dropped out of Premier Academy,

Lugbe Lugbe, Abuja is a residential district and town in Abuja. The town covers approximately . The community is a countryside settlement expanding on the urban fringe of Abuja. The area is site to a Voice of Nigeria The Voice of Nigeria or VON ( Yoru ...

Abuja Abuja (; , ) is the capital city of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, strategically situated at the geographic midpoint of the country within the Federal Capital Territory (Nigeria), Federal Capital Territory (FCT). As the seat of the Federal G ...

to learn trade at a young age. He attended several local and international business courses and seminars in leadership and business management.

Business

Ifeanyi became an importer of motor tyres and spare parts majorly in West Africa including Ghana, Sierra Leone, Liberia; but also in DR Congo. Then he expanded his business ventures in some countries in Europe including Belgium and the United Kingdom. In 2001, he founded Capital Oil and Gas Limited. He was the founder of '' The Authority Newspaper'', a Nigerian daily newspaper and also the owner of Ifeanyi Ubah F.C., a football club in the

Nigeria Premier League The Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) (formerly the Nigeria Professional Football League) is the highest level of club football in Nigerian football league system. The Nigerian Premier League has suffered like many others, from the financ ...

, following its purchase as Gabros International Football Club.

Politics

In 2014, Ifeanyi Ubah lost at the 2014 Anambra gubernatorial election under the platform of the Labour Party. On 24 February 2019, Ifeanyi Ubah was declared winner of the Anambra South Senatorial elections under the platform of the Young Progressive Party (YPP), but defected to Nigeria's ruling party the All Progressive Congress (APC). He had declared his interest to contest the Anambra gubernatorial election on APC's platform in 2025.

Personal life

Ifeanyi Ubah was married to Uchenna Ubah, a

Business Administration Business administration is the administration of a commercial enterprise. It includes all aspects of overseeing and supervising the business operations of an organization. Overview The administration of a business includes the performance o ...

graduate from

Ahmadu Bello University The Ahmadu Bello University (ABU) is a public research university located in Zaria, Nigeria, Zaria, Kaduna State, Nigeria. It was opened in 1962 as the University of Northern Nigeria. The university has four colleges, three schools, 18 faculties, ...

in Nigeria, with whom he had five children. He also ran a foundation which is named after him; Ifeanyi Ubah Foundation.

Attempted assassination

In September 2022, Ifeanyi Ubah was on his way to Nnewi and was attacked by gunmen in Enugwu-Ukwu in Anambra State - his convoy was shot at; at least five persons, including two policemen, were killed. Ubah survived as the vehicle he was riding in was bulletproof.

Death

On 27 July 2024, Ubah reportedly died of a cardiac arrest in

London London is the Capital city, capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of both England and the United Kingdom, with a population of in . London metropolitan area, Its wider metropolitan area is the largest in Wester ...

, at the age of 52. He was said to have departed Nigeria for the United Kingdom two days earlier on 25 July. A close family source said he died in a hospital where he went for surgery.

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Ubah, Ifeanyi 1971 births 2024 deaths People from Nnewi Igbo people Igbo businesspeople Nigerian Roman Catholics Nigerian businesspeople in the oil industry Nigerian billionaires Peoples Democratic Party members of the Senate (Nigeria) Senators of the 10th National Assembly (Nigeria) Senators of the 9th National Assembly (Nigeria)