Victor Attah
Encyclopedia
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 is a member of the Board of Trustees of the ruling People's Democratic Party
(PDP).
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 practiced as an architect in the Caribbean
, New York, and Nigeria.
He served as the National President of the Nigerian Institute of Architects
.
In 2001, Victor Attah travelled to the United States
with as many as 21 people in search of foreign investors. Apparently this visit and others produced no tangible results.
He promised to improve telecoms, electrical power supply, and air transport infrastructure, and to replicate Silicon Valley in Uyo.
He planned to build an airport in Uyo
before he left office in 2007.
He laid the foundation for the establishment of the Akwa Ibom State University of Technology
.
According to the Daily Sun, little was in fact achieved.
The Victor Attah Digital Opportunity Centre (VADOC) was said to be no more a typical cybercafé with VSAT connection and some computer points.
Obong Attah ran for the 2007 presidential nomination of the Peoples Democratic Party in 2007, but withdrew when it became clear that he had little chance of success.
(EFCC) to arrest him if the commission had anything against him.
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.
Aondoakaa said he had no conflict with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission
(EFCC).
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 cooperate with the MET police.
In March 2008, Victor Attah joined ExecutiveAction, a consultancy that helps firms manage problems in difficult business environments.
Nigeria
Nigeria , officially the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is a federal constitutional republic comprising 36 states and its Federal Capital Territory, Abuja. The country is located in West Africa and shares land borders with the Republic of Benin in the west, Chad and Cameroon in the east, and Niger in...
from 29 May 1999 to 29 May 2007. He is a member of the Board of Trustees of the ruling People's Democratic Party
People's Democratic Party (Nigeria)
The People's Democratic Party is a political party in Nigeria. Its policies generally lie towards the right wing of the political spectrum. It has won every single Presidential elections since 1999, namely: 1999, 2003, 2007, and 2011, and is the dominant party in the Fourth Republic.-History:In...
(PDP).
Background
Victor Attah was born on November 20, 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
Columbia University
Columbia University in the City of New York is a private, Ivy League university in Manhattan, New York City. Columbia is the oldest institution of higher learning in the state of New York, the fifth oldest in the United States, and one of the country's nine Colonial Colleges founded before the...
in New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
, where he obtained an MA in Advanced Architectural Design and Planning. He also attended the Kennedy Graduate School of Governance at Harvard University
Harvard University
Harvard University is a private Ivy League university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States, established in 1636 by the Massachusetts legislature. Harvard is the oldest institution of higher learning in the United States and the first corporation chartered in the country...
. After completing his education, he practiced as an architect in the Caribbean
Caribbean
The Caribbean is a crescent-shaped group of islands more than 2,000 miles long separating the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean Sea, to the west and south, from the Atlantic Ocean, to the east and north...
, New York, and Nigeria.
He served as the National President of the Nigerian Institute of Architects
Nigerian Institute of Architects
The Nigerian Institute of Architects , established in 1960, is made up of professional Architects, with the objective of promoting the practice of the profession of Architecture in Nigeria. By April 2005 it had over 4,000 members in 32 State Chapters...
.
Governor of Akwa Ibom
Victor Attah was elected governor of Akwa Ibom in 1999 on the PDP platform, and was reelected 2003. He was elected Chairman of the Forum of the 36 Governors of Nigeria in 2003.In 2001, Victor Attah travelled to the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
with as many as 21 people in search of foreign investors. Apparently this visit and others produced no tangible results.
He promised to improve telecoms, electrical power supply, and air transport infrastructure, and to replicate Silicon Valley in Uyo.
He planned to build an airport in Uyo
Uyo
Uyo is a city in south-eastern Nigeria and is the capital of Akwa Ibom State, a major oil producing state of Nigeria. The city became a capital of Akwa Ibom State on September 23, 1987 following the creation of the state from Cross River State....
before he left office in 2007.
He laid the foundation for the establishment of the Akwa Ibom State University of Technology
Akwa Ibom State University of Technology
The Akwa Ibom State University of Technology is a university under construction and is tasked with building up a unique academic environment that will become the primary vehicle for actualizing the educational dream of developing the intellectual and creative capacities of its students...
.
According to the Daily Sun, little was in fact achieved.
The Victor Attah Digital Opportunity Centre (VADOC) was said to be no more a typical cybercafé with VSAT connection and some computer points.
Obong Attah ran for the 2007 presidential nomination of the Peoples Democratic Party in 2007, but withdrew when it became clear that he had little chance of success.
Later career
In November 2007, Victor Attah challenged the Economic and Financial Crimes CommissionEconomic and Financial Crimes Commission
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission is a Nigerian law enforcement agency that investigates financial crimes such as advance fee fraud and money laundering...
(EFCC) to arrest him if the commission had anything against him.
In September 2009 the Nigerian Justice Minister and Attorney General, Michael Aondoakaa
Michael Aondoakaa
Michael Kaase Aondoakaa was Nigeria's justice minister from July 2007 to 10 February 2010.-Background:Michael Kaase Aondoakaa was born in Benue on 12 June 1962. He attended the University of Maiduguri, where he studied law...
, 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
Virgin Mobile
Virgin Mobile is a brand used by many mobile phone service providers across the globe; its headquarters are based in the United Kingdom. Virgin Mobile has local operations in Australia, Canada, France, India, South Africa, Greece, United Kingdom and the United States. It briefly also had operations...
shares acquisition. Former state governors James Ibori
James Ibori
James Onanefe Ibori was the Governor of Delta State in Nigeria from 29 May 1999 to 29 May 2007. He is a member of the ruling People's Democratic Party . He was arguably the most vocal advocate for resource nationalism in Nigeria....
of Delta State
Delta State
Delta State may refer to:*Delta State, a state in southern Nigeria.*Delta State , a Canadian animated television series.*Delta State University, a public university located in the U.S. state of Mississippi....
, Ahmed Bola Tinubu
Bola Tinubu
Bola Ahmed Tinubu was elected Senator for the Lagos West constituency in Lagos State, Nigeria in 1993, just before a military take-over in December 1993. After the return to democracy, he was elected governor of Lagos State, holding office from 29 May 1999 to 29 May 2007...
of Lagos State
Lagos State
Lagos State is an administrative division of Nigeria, located in the southwestern part of the country. The smallest in area of Nigeria's states, Lagos State is the most populous state in Nigeria and arguably the most economically important state of the country and west Africa, containing Lagos, the...
and Victor Attah had been accused of money laundering in the transaction.
Aondoakaa said he had no conflict with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission
Economic and Financial Crimes Commission
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission is a Nigerian law enforcement agency that investigates financial crimes such as advance fee fraud and money laundering...
(EFCC).
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 cooperate with the MET police.
In March 2008, Victor Attah joined ExecutiveAction, a consultancy that helps firms manage problems in difficult business environments.