Mr Onyema Ugochukwu

Former journalist; 2007 Gubernatorial candidate for Abia State

Date of Birth: 09/11/1944
Place of Birth: Abia State

Education: BSc Economics, University of Nigeria, Nsukka.

Career: Economic Research Assistant, Central Bank of Nigeria; Economic Analyst, the Business Times; Editor, the Business Times, 1977-82; Editor, West Africa Magazine, 1983; Editor in Chief, Daily Times of Nigeria; Media Consultant, Dow Jones Financial News Service; Special Advisor on Communications to Olusegun Obasanjo, 1998-2006; Executive Chairman, Niger Delta Development Commission, 2000-04.

Commentary: Ugochukwu was part of a group of journalists, intellectuals, business people, retired officers and career politicians who populated the Obasanjo camp in the late 1990s; at one point he was even tipped for the post of Minister of Information.

Ugochukwu was the People's Democratic Party (PDP) gubernatorial candidate in the 2007 Abia State elections, but was defeated by Theodore Orji of the All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP) after a protracted and hotly contested race. During the elections, there was an attempt on Ugochukwu's life, and one of his bodyguards was killed.