Biography

Chimaroke Nnamani: Biography, Education, Career, Marriage, Net Worth, Achievements and Controversy

Published

1 year ago

2022/11/14

Sub-editor

By Balogun Kamilu Lekan

Biography

Chimaroke Nnamani is a medical doctor and politician from Enugu State, Nigeria.

He was born on May 30th, 1960, in Port Harcourt, Rivers State. Chimaroke Nnamani is 62 years as of 2022.

The medical doctor cum politician previously served as the governor of Enugu state from 1999 until 2007. After the expiration of his tenure as a governor in 2007, he became a member of the Nigerian Senate till 2011. He was reelected as a senator in 2019.

Chimaroke Nnamani is a member of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP)

Education

Chimaroke attended Methodist Primary School in Enugu for his elementary education before proceeding to the College of the Immaculate Conception (CIC), where he had his secondary education.

After his secondary education, he headed to the University of Nigeria’s College of Medicine for a degree in Medicine.

Later, he proceeded to the State University of New York for his postgraduate and to the Inter-faith Medical Center/Down State Medical Centre, Brooklyn, New York, to study Obstetrics and Gynaecology.

In addition, his postgraduate education and research continued at the Perinatal Biology Centre, Loma Linda University, Loma Linda, Southern California; the Molecular Biology and Tissue Cytology Laboratory, Jerry “L” Pettis Veterans Administration Hospital, Loma Linda, California; the Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology and Perinatal Biology, Loma Linda University (with a specialisation in maternal-fetal medicine); and the College of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles.

Career

Before drifting into politics, Dr Nnamani worked as an attending physician in several American hospitals like Loma Linda University Medical Centre, San Bernardino County Medical Centre, Riverside General Hospital, Florida Hospital, Orlando, Florida, and Arnold Palmer Hospital for Women and Children, Orlando, Florida.

He also worked as a maternal and foetal medicine specialist for the Maternal and Foetal Medicine Associates, Principal Practising Group in Orlando, Florida.

During the 1999 general election, Dr Chimaroke contested for the gubernatorial seat of Enugu State under the People’s Democratic Party’s platform and won. A position he occupied till 2007 as a two-term governor.

At the 2007 election, Nnamani, under the platform of the PDP, was picked to represent Enugu East Senatorial District in the Senate from 2007 to 2011.

In 2015, he ran for re-election on the newly formed People for Democratic Change (PDC) platform but was defeated in contentious circumstances.

He ran for the same seat again in the 2015 elections and was widely expected to win until his primary rival was unexpectedly declared the winner, sparking days-long, spontaneous, massive protests in the nation’s capital of Enugu.

Chimaroke, Jacob Nwatu, and four private firms were charged on May 26th, 2011, before Justice Benedict Agbata of the Enugu State High Court with 15 new charges relating to alleged misappropriation of state funds and collection of money under false pretences between August 3rd and November 28th, 2002.

In the 2019 general election, Chimaroke returned to the senate after winning the PDP’s primaries to pick the party ticket to represent Enugu East Senatorial District. He is the current chief whip of the senate.

Marriage

Chimoroke was married to Nnenna Agnes Nnamani before she died on September 4th, 2015, in Orlando, Florida, USA, from complications from a cerebral aneurysm and sickle cell disease, and they had two children.

Net worth

Nnamani is reportedly worth an estimated $1.5 million. However, NewsWireNgr cannot independently verify it.

Achievements

Honours

Fellow of the American College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists.
Diplomate of the American Board of Obstetrics and Gynaecology
University of Nigeria; Distinguished Fellow of the Nigerian Law School.
D.Sc. (Honoris Causa), Babcock University, Illisan, Remo, Ogun State.
Adjunct Professor (Political Science), Babcock University, Illisan Remo, Ogun State.
Honorary fellow of the National Postgraduate Medical College of Nigeria, Ijanikan, Lagos.
Distinguished Fellow of the West African College of Surgeons
Visiting Professor of Physiology, Obstetrics, and Gynaecology at the Enugu State University of Science and Technology (ESUT).

Controversy

In preparation for the 2023 general election, Chimaroke Nnamani, a member of the People’s Democratic Party reportedly featured in the campaign councils of two different political parties, PDP and APC.

The All Progressives Congress, APC, included the former Enugu State Governor on its presidential campaign list to mobilize voters for its South-East presidential candidate, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu.

The development elicited reactions from party stakeholders, who concluded that including the former governor was a mistake, but the APC stated it was a deliberate move.

However, as the move was faced with huge criticism, the APC reportedly removed his name from the list.