Barely two months to the general elections, former chairman of Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Dr. Abel Guobadia is dead. He died in the early hours of yesterday after a brief illness. He was aged 79. Guobadia, as chairman of INEC, presided over the conduct of 2003 general elections, after the death of the former chairman of the commission, Justice Ephraim Akpata, who was also from Edo State.

The former INEC chairman, a professional teacher by training, obtained a Ph.D in Physics from the University of Ibadan, Oyo State. Before his appointment as INEC chairman, Guobadia had held various appointments, including commissioner for education and finance in the defunct Bendel State, acting secretary, National Universities Commission (NUC) as well as Nigerian ambassador to South Korea.

When our correspondent visited his residence yesterday afternoon, his younger brother, Chris Guobadia, was seen giving orders on what to be done, while the late Guobadia’s close friends, led by former president of the Customary Court, Justice Isaac Aluyi, were seated at the entrance to the main house.
Chris Guobadia refused to make any official comment on the death, as he said that the family was awaiting the arrival of the deceased’s first son, Ibude.

Meanwhile, President Goodluck Jonathan has described the death of Guobadia as shocking and sad.
In a statement signed by the Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Ima Niboro, President Jonathan recalled that Guobadia dedicated his life to the service of Nigeria, in various capacities, but most notably as chairman of INEC from 2000 to 2005.
The president praised the stewardship of the late Guobadia, noting that the country has lost an excellent public servant and diplomat. He stated that the former INEC boss died at a time his experience in election matters was most needed, as Nigeria prepares for the national elections in April, 2011.

Jonathan expressed condolences with the Guobadia family, the government and people of Edo State and the nation at large and prayed for the peaceful repose of his soul.
Also, Edo State governor, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, described the death of Guobadia as shocking.
According to the governor, in a statement by his chief press secretary, Mr. Peter Okhiria, “the death of Chief Guobadia is a sad loss, as he was one of Nigeria’s senior citizens of outstanding worth.

“His death is even more painful as we still mourn the passage of another great Edo son, Chief Anthony Enahoro.
“We recall that he did creditably at INEC and remains till date, the only electoral chief in the country to have completely served out his tenure.
“We will always remember him for his forthrightness and incisive contributions to national issues. While we commiserate with his immediate family, we pray God to grant them the fortitude to bear the loss.”

my heart goes out to his family. nigeria will miss him.

He was a gentleman.We knew him in Bendel state as the education commisioner way before he had anything to do with INEC

He was a gentleman.We knew him in Bendel state as the education commisioner way before he had anything to do with INEC

@rasputinn,
uncle, if u insist that this man was a gentleman, i will take it that he was the only gentleman that ever served under obasanjo. by the way, do u know any inec chairman that is a gentleman?

He should die again, again and again.

He was in charge of rigging the 2003 election.

His family should bury him with some millions of US dollars so that he would not go to the other world empty handedly.

we all knew the roles guobadiia played in 2003 elections, but its our tradition not to speak evil of the dead, at least for the sake of the mourning family.

next is iwu and if jega ever try and rigged this election, he will die soon, and i mean sooner than his time.

the dealth of all criminal election riggers should be celebrated in nigeria, it should be a happy news.

let them die for the decent nigerian citizens to live. don't forget "the soul that sinnet shall die" rig election and face dealth from GOD

1025:

@rasputinn,
uncle, if u insist that this man was a gentleman, i will take it that he was the only gentleman that ever served under obasanjo. by the way, do u know any inec chairman that is a gentleman?

I no be your un-cle your uncle dey for yo-ur vi-llage,La-gba-ja nuttin for you
Seriously,read my post again,I mean read between the lines.I wonder why you had to automatically assume that the only time people knew him was when he was at INEC.Be smart,read my post again

Great man. R.I.P.





Sir Abel Guobadia, OFR (Officer of the Federal Republic), born June 28, 1932 in Benin City, Nigeria is an Educationist, Administrator, Diplomat and retired public servant.[1]


Education

Abel Guobadia attended C.M.S. Primary Schools in Benin City (1939 -1945); Government College, Ibadan (1946 - 1951); University College Ibadan (1952 - 1957). In 1962, he won a scholarship for graduate studies in the United States and was awarded the Ph. D in Solid State Physics from the University of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA in 1966.[1]
[edit] Career

Prior to enroling for his Ph. D, Abel Guobadia began his career as a Physics teacher at Osogbo Grammar School (1957); Ilesha Grammar School (1958); Government College Ughelli (1958 - 1959); Edo College, Benin City (1960); Government College Ibadan (1960 - 1961) and the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (1961 - 1962). From 1966 - 1971, Dr. Guobadia was a Senior Lecturer and Head of Department of Physics at the University of Lagos, Nigeria.[1]

Guobadia worked at Nigeria's National Universities Commission throughout most of the 1970s and early 1980s and rose to the position of Director of Academic Planning and subsequently, Executive Secretary of the Commission. In 1983, Dr. Guobadia helped the University of Benin, Benin City establish a Consultancy Services Unit and became the pioneer Director of the Unit.[1]

In January 1984, Guobadia was appointed Commissioner of Education for the defunct Bendel State of Nigeria under the military administration of then Brigadier Jeremiah Useni. Later in 1986, the Colonel John Mark Inienger military administration appointed him the Bendel State Commissioner of Finance and Economic Planning.[citation needed] In 1987, President Ibrahim Babangida appointed Abel Guobadia Nigeria's first resident Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to the Republic of Korea.[2] Upon retirement, Abel Guobadia floated a private educational consulting firm, Advanced Educational Services Limited, that was responsible for developing academic programs for several universities in Nigeria. Abel Guobadia and Professor T. M. Yesufu played an influential role in the establishment of the Igbinedion University, Okada in Edo State, Nigeria.[citation needed]

In 2000, the government of President Olusegun Obasanjo appointed Guobadia Nigeria's Chief Electoral Officer. Dr. Guobadia was confirmed as the Chairman of Nigeria's Independent National Electoral Commission by the Nigerian Senate in May 2000.[3] Guobada retired from this position in May 2005 becoming the first, and so far, only Chairman of the Electoral Commission since Nigeria's independence in 1960, to complete his tenure.

Abel Guobadia has served as Chairman and/or member of many boards including that of the New Nigeria Bank, West African Examinations Council and the Nigerian Standards Organization. He has served in several capacities on Governing Councils of several Universities in Nigeria. Guobadia was former Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of Council of the Edo State University, Ekpoma. Abel Guobadia was the President of the Science Teachers Association of Nigeria (STAN) from 1971 to 1976 and remains an honorary life fellow of STAN. He is a Special Member of the Senate of the University of Benin, Benin City.[citation needed]

In seeking to advance the development of his cosmopolitan Edo community in mid-western Nigeria, Guobadia worked as the Secretary of the Benin Forum and Chairman of the Edo Forum respectively from 1992 to 2000. Currently, Abel Guobadia serves as Chairman, Board of Trustees of a prominent non-governmental organisation, Women's Health and Action Research Centre (WHARC) located in Benin City, Nigeria.[4]