Adolphus Wabara

Adolphus Nduneweh Wabara (born 1 June 1948) is a Nigerian politician and diplomat who served as the 10th president of the Nigerian Senate from 2003 to 2005.

A pioneer member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Wabara had previously been a member of the National Republican Convention (NRC) and a House of Representative member for Abia State in the 3rd Republic Nigerian National Assembly.

Adolphus was born on 1 June 1948 to Miller and Caroline Wabara in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, Nigeria.

His father, a native of Ohambele, Ndoki in Abia State, worked at the Nigerian Railway Corporation and his mother was a trader.

Adolphus’ father was also a member of the NCNC who pioneered the Igbo State Union in its inception.

Adolphus is the second of seven children, six brothers and one sister, one of the brothers was former Managing Director of Hallmark Bank Marc Wabara.

Adolphus spent most of his childhood in Lagos with his parents and siblings.

Adolphus married Felicia Edomola Ikhile from Esan-West LGA in Edo State.

She is a seasoned administrator having worked at both the Nigerian Embassy, in London, where they met, and the Nigerian Consulate in New York.

They are blessed with two children.

Felicia passed on 10 April 2022 at the age of 69 after a battle with cancer.

She is survived by her husband, 2 children, and 2 grandchildren.

They were married for 40 years before her passing.

Adolphus Wabara attended the Methodist Boys’ High School, Lagos, and graduated in 1966.

In the late 1970s, Wabara worked at the Nigerian Embassy in London as an External Affairs Officer till his transfer to Chad as the Head of Chancery in 1984.

Two years after, he retired from diplomatic service and returned to Lagos, Nigeria where he dabbled in a few businesses, including bread-making.

After being rewarded a Federal scholarship to study in the Soviet Union, Wabara proceeded to the Kyiv State University, Kyiv where he obtained a degree in International Relations in 1976.

Prior to this, he attended a Post-Graduate Diploma course in the Russian Language at the Voronezh University in Central Russia.

The historic economic crises that swept throughout Nigeria in the 1980s took a toll on his businesses, and subsequently, Wabara worked as the Assistant General Manager Apapa Trawlers, a subsidiary of the Ibru Organization from 1985 to 1989.

From there, he made his debut in Nigerian partisan politics.

With the formation of the National Republican Convention by the Ibrahim Babangida regime, Wabara saw a platform to be of service to the people of Ukwa East Local Government Area, Abia State.

After winning the party primaries, he won the 1992 election against the candidate of the rival Social Democratic Party (SDP).

Wabara became an Honorable Member of the House of Representatives in the 3rd Republic.

There, he was appointed as the Chairman of the House Committee on Asia and the Pacific Regions.

In this capacity, he was sent by the Federal Government on diplomatic missions to the United States of America with the Black Congressional Caucus.

Wabara’s tenure in the House of Representatives, like those of his colleagues, was cut short in 1993 when the famous "12 June" political crisis erupted in Nigeria.

The Presidential elections, which had been won by SDP candidate, Chief M.K.O Abiola had been nullified by the Ibrahim Babangida Regime, heralding political tensions and unrest.

That year, Wabara was one of those who would stood against the annulment, even after the subsequent Head of State, General Sanni Abacha dissolved the National Parliament.

After a stint in New York, Wabara was appointed as a councilor in the Ukwa East Local Government Council, affording him a chance to serve at the grassroots.

There, he assumed additional duties as the Supervisory Councilor for Education.

In 1996, an opportunity came for Wabara to advance in his political career.

The Sani Abacha regime promulgated a transition program between 16 and 25 March 1996.

One of the tenets of the transition program was non-party elections into local government positions in Nigeria, and by it, Adolphus Wabara was elected and reelected into council Chairmanship for the Ukwa East Local Government.

He proceeded to join the People's Democratic Party in 1998 and was elected as Abia South's senator in the Nigerian Senate for two consecutive tenures.

He was educated in the Soviet Union, at the Kyiv State University where he graduated with a Master of Arts in International Relations with distinction.

The Peoples Democratic Party was founded in 1998, and Wabara was a foundational member.

One year after, he contested in the 1999 Senatorial Elections and won the mandate to represent Abia South District in the Nigerian Senate of the 4th Republic.

On 3 June 1999, Wabara was sworn in as a Nigerian Senator; days after the inauguration of President Olusegun Obasanjo.

Wabara was soon appointed the Chairman of the Senate Strategic Committee on Defence and then, the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Police Affairs.

There, he campaigned tirelessly for budgetary inclusion for improving the Nigerian military and police structure.