John James Akpan Udo-Edehe (; born 9 November 1963) is a Nigerian politician who served as a senator for the Akwa Ibom North East Senatorial District at the start of the Fourth Republic, on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). He took office on 29 May 1999.

Background

Udo-Edehe was born on 9 November 1963 in Afaha Offot, Uyo Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State. He studied at Holy Trinity College, Mbiakong, in

Uruan Uruan is a Local government areas of Nigeria, Local Government Area (LGA) in Akwa Ibom State, located in southern Nigeria. It was created in 1988 from Uyo Local Government Area and covers an approximate land mass of 449 km2. According to the ...

LGA, from 1975 to 1979. In 1990, he was admitted to the

University of Uyo The University of Uyo is located in Uyo, the capital of Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria. The university was formerly known as the University of Cross River State. On 1 October 1991, the Federal government of Nigeria established it as a Federal Univer ...

, where he studied

Sociology Sociology is the scientific study of human society that focuses on society, human social behavior, patterns of Interpersonal ties, social relationships, social interaction, and aspects of culture associated with everyday life. The term sociol ...

Anthropology Anthropology is the scientific study of humanity, concerned with human behavior, human biology, cultures, society, societies, and linguistics, in both the present and past, including archaic humans. Social anthropology studies patterns of behav ...

. Later he studied for an M.Sc in Sociology of Development at the

University of Calabar The University of Calabar is a federal university situated in Calabar, Cross River State, Nigeria. It is one of Nigeria's second-generation federal universities. The University of Calabar was a campus of the University of Nigeria until 1975. ...

, graduating in 2006. He started work in 1980 as Sales Manager/Personal Assistant to the Chairman of Dajucom Nigeria. He became Managing Director/Executive Chairman of John Silver Nigeria Limited in 1987.

Political career

Udo-Edehe was elected chairman of the Uyo Local Government and then chairman of Uyo Council with the full support of Mr. Inyang Udoh before being elected to the Senate in 1999. His administration was probed by the Akwa Ibom Military Administrator, Navy Captain

Joseph Adeusi Navy Captain (retired) Joseph Adeduro Adeusi was governor of Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria from August 1996 to August 1998 during the military regime of General Sani Abacha. As administrator, Adeusi founded the Akwa United Football Club, which played ...

. In 1997, he won election as Senator for Uyo during the attempted return to democracy under General

Sani Abacha Sani Abacha (; (20 September 1943 – 8 June 1998) was a Nigerian military dictator and statesman who ruled Nigeria with an iron fist as military head of state from 1993 following a palace coup d'état until his death in 1998. Abacha's seiz ...

. In 1999, he again ran for the Uyo Senatorial District on the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) platform, and was elected. He held office until May 2003. After taking his seat in the

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

, Udo-Edehe was appointed to committees on Industry, Labour, Finance and Appropriation, Internal Affairs, Information, Privatisation (chairman) and Government Affairs. Udo-Edehe was vice chairman of the Campaign Organisation for the election of Obong Victor Attah as Governor of Akwa Ibom State in 2003. He was chairman of

Godswill Akpabio Chief Godswill Obot Akpabio (; born 9 December 1962) is a Nigerian lawyer and politician who is currently serving as the 10th president of the Nigerian Senate since 2023. He was first elected as Senator representing Akwa Ibom North-West Senat ...

's successful campaign for Akwa Ibom governorship in 2006/2007. He was appointed Minister of State for the

Federal Capital Territory A capital district, capital region, or capital territory is normally a specially designated administrative division where a country's seat of government is located. As such, in a federal model of government, no state or territory has any politic ...

(FCT) by President

Umaru Yar'Adua Umaru Musa Yar'Adua (; 16 August 19515 May 2010) was a Nigerian politician who served as the president of Nigeria from 2007 until his death in May 2010. He won the Nigerian presidential election held on 21 April 2007, and was sworn in on 29 Ma ...

on 26 July 2007. His Senate screening managed to pass despite opposition from party leaders in his state. He was relieved of his position on 29 October 2008 in a major cabinet shake-up. In 2010, he started a campaign to become the 2011 PDP candidate for governor of Akwa Ibom State. The Akwa Ibom Democratic Voice, a group led by

Annang Anaang (also spelled Annang and Ànnang) is an ethnic group in Southern Nigeria, whose land is primarily within 8 of the present 31 Local Government Areas in Akwa Ibom State: Abak, Essien Udim, Etim Ekpo, Ika, Ikot Ekpene, Obot Akara, Oruk ...

people loyal to the incumbent Governor Akpabio tried to prevent his political campaign in the Ikot Ekpene Senatorial District, pulling down his posters. In June 2010, a former governor of Akwa Ibom State, Obong Victor Attah, endorsed Udo-Edehe as candidate, saying Akwa Ibom had become a failed state under Akpabio's administration. In 2015, Udo-Edehe re-ran for the gubernatorial election but was defeated by Obong Umana Okon Umana in the primaries. After another defeat in the 2018 primaries, he was appointed as a board member of the

Nigerian Ports Authority The Nigerian Ports Authority (''NPA'') is a federal government agency that governs and operates the ports of Nigeria. The major ports controlled by the NPA include: the Lagos Port Complex and Tin Can Island Port in Lagos; Calabar Port, Delta ...

in March 2020.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Udo-Edehe, John James Akpan Federal ministers of Nigeria 1960 births Living people People from Uyo Peoples Democratic Party members of the Senate (Nigeria) Senators of the 4th National Assembly (Nigeria) University of Uyo alumni University of Calabar alumni Akwa Ibom State politicians