Mr. Nzeribe, a popular businessman, was born November 2, 1938, in Oguta, Imo state.
The First Republic politician represented Orlu Senatorial Constituency, as it was then called, from October 1983 to December, 1983.
He attended Holy Ghost College, Owerri, the state capital.
He would later win a scholarship from the Nigerian Ports Authority, in 1958, to study marine engineering at Portsmouth College of Technology in England.
He worked with many African leaders including Kwame Nkrumah of Ghana, whom he worked for as a public relations officer.
Mr Nzeribe will be remembered by many Nigerians for his role in scuttling Nigeria’s 1993 general elections which M.K.O. Abiola, then a presidential candidate, won.
His Association for Better Nigeria (ABN) secured a controversial court order which the military government used as a basis to annul the election, considered the fairest in Nigeria. He is believed by many to have been sponsored by the military government.
He returned to the Senate in May 1999 and stayed till May 2007, on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party.
Mr Nzeribe would later be indefinitely suspended by the then Senate President of Nigeria, Anyim Pius, now a presidential aspirant, over an allegation of N22 million fraud.
Arthur Nzeribe,died at the age of 83 years.
His family confirmed his death in a statement on Sunday.
The statement, jointly signed by three members of his family, Ojiabu Francis Anyegbu Nzeribe, Anthony Akpati Nzeribe and Ojiabu Oliver Nwedo Nzeribe, said the famous politician died on Thursday.
“The Nzeribe Royal Family of Umudei Royal Village of Oguta in the Oguta Local Government Area of Imo State, in total submission to the will of God Almighty and in appreciation of a remarkably worthy life, hereby announce the death of our son, cousin, uncle, husband, father and grandfather, distinguished Senator Chief Francis Arthur Uzoma Nzeribe (Ogbuabu Oshiji, Dimanze, Oyimbaof Oguta on May 5, 2022,” the family said in the statement.
“While we are pained by this loss, we are proud of this African Legend who distinguished himself in various fields including sports, international business, politics and gave the Nzeribe brand worldwide acclaim,” the statement added.
It said the family had commenced the necessary traditional consultations and would in due course release a programme for his funeral rites.
