ABUJA – Former Governor of Anambra State, Senator Chris Ngige, has revealed that his ouster from office in 2006 was the result of his refusal to appoint political heavyweight, Chris Uba, as his deputy governor.

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Speaking in an interview in Abuja, Ngige said the move to remove him was orchestrated by powerful political interests in Anambra State, who saw his refusal as defiance.

“I know those who were removing me. They gave me conditions, and I said I won’t do them,” Ngige stated. “One of the major conditions was that I should make Chris Uba my deputy governor.”

The former Minister of Labour and Employment, who served under the late President Buhari, recounted how the late Senator Ibrahim Mantu approached him with the demand.

“Mantu came to me and said somebody sent him. I told him, ‘Tell the person I won’t do it.’ He later took me to meet the person, and the demand was clear: Chris Uba must be made deputy governor,” Ngige said.

He said he rejected the offer on two key grounds: “If I made him deputy governor, he would have immunity and could walk into my office and shoot me – and nothing would happen. Second, the people of Anambra would revolt against me because they knew the role he played during the political violence in the state.”

Ngige cited the 2003 political unrest in Anambra when government institutions were torched. “They burned down the House of Assembly, the Governor’s Office, the Anambra Broadcasting Service, the Education Commission… and the people responsible didn’t hide,” he said. “They even went on AIT to declare that I shouldn’t enter the state again.”

He described the crisis as a divine test and insisted he has no regrets about the outcome. “I’m happy with all that transpired because that is how God willed it. When I was removed, someone came crying and said if it were him, he’d commit suicide. I told him, ‘I can get a rope for you.’”

Ngige, a devout Catholic and trained medical doctor, said his removal was part of God’s plan. He also explained why he didn’t challenge the court ruling that ousted him: “I wanted to avoid more bloodshed in Anambra. I wasn’t born a governor. I was born Nwabueze Ngige, son of a carpenter.”

Despite his low political profile in recent years, Ngige maintained that he remains a member of the All Progressives Congress (APC), although he described himself as being on “sabbatical.”

On Employing ‘Bad Boys’ to Tackle Insecurity

Ngige also defended his controversial decision to employ individuals labeled as “bad boys” during his tenure as governor, saying it was a calculated strategy to combat insecurity.

“To secure your place is money – that’s why budgets provide for security votes. But many governors treat it like pocket money,” he said.

According to Ngige, he sponsored a bill in 2003 for the establishment of community vigilante services in Anambra State, which led to the recruitment of both regular and “bad boys” for grassroots security.

“We told communities to submit names of people, including known troublemakers. We employed them, told them clearly: ‘You’re under watch. Any false move and you’re dead. But your duty is to help us find other criminals.’ And they did,” he said.

He revealed that these recruits were paid ₦30,000 monthly – a substantial sum at the time – and were provided with food, transportation, and recharge cards to help them perform effectively.

“When my police security was withdrawn, these boys stood in to secure the state. They even went on missions to Aba to track criminals. That’s what security votes should be used for – not to buy property,” Ngige asserted.