The Nzeribe Royal Family of Umudei Royal Village of Oguta Local Government Area, of Imo State, on Sunday officially confirmed the death of Senator Arthur NZERIBE.
In an official statement by the Ojiabu Francis Anyegbu Nzeribe, Anthony Akpati Nzeribe and Ojiabu Oliver Nwedo Nzeribe, on behalf of the Nzeribe family, the family disclosed that the late Senator, died on May 5,2022 at the age of 83 years.
The family kept the death of the controversial senator for away from the public for three days.
The statement said the family is in pain by the loss of their illustrious son, who lived a worthy life.
They added that they’re proud of the ‘African legend,’ who a according to them distinguished himself in various fields of life, including sports, international business and politics.
According to the family, the late Nzeribe, gifted “Nzeribe family brand Worldwide acclaim.”
The family stated that they have commenced the traditional consultations and will in due course release the burial rites of the late Nzeribe.
They enjoined the public to respect the privacy of the family and the solemnity of the event to enable the family mourn the deceased in peace.
The former Senator representing Orlu Senatorial District in the National Assembly Arthur Nzeribe died after a protracted illness. Nzeribe was bedridden for more than 10 years.
A source who confitded in the Network said that the maverick Senator from Oguta died in an Abuja hospital.
The Source said that the news of his death filtered into the State in the early hours of the morning on Sunday.
Nzeribe became the Senator representing the Orlu Senatorial District in 1999, until he was defeated by Osita Izunaso in the primaries of the then ruling Peoples Democratic Party in 2007.
The Senator was defeated for the first time after several years as a Senator when the former Governor Achike Udenwa moved against him.
The two prominent politicians from Orlu had a clash when Udenwa who was championing the proposed creation of Orlu State was opposed by Nzeribe who was the arrowhead of the demand for Urashi State.
Nzeribe played active politics during his years in the Nigerian People’s Party, NPP, of Dr. NNAMDI Azikiwe, in the second Republic, when he represented Orlu before President Mohammadu Buhari’s coup that sacked the Late Alhaji Shehu Shagari administration in 1984.
On June 10, 1993, the controversial Senator made an unpopular attempt to stop the June 12, 1993 election, by relying on a court order which his group, Association for Better Nigeria (ABN), got from a midnight ruling from late Justice Bassey Ikpeme of Abuja High Court.