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Francis Arthur Nzeribe: The Shadow Diplomat, Arms Dealer, and Political Enigma of Post-Colonial Africa
Francis Arthur Nzeribe remains one of the most complex and controversial figures in modern African history. A man of immense wealth, influence, and political agility, Nzeribe traversed the murky corridors of international arms trade, African power politics, and national intrigue with remarkable survival instincts.
During the Nigerian Civil War (1967–1970), Nzeribe reportedly supplied arms to both the Nigerian government and the secessionist Biafran forces—profiting from a conflict that devastated his homeland. His arms dealings were not confined to Nigeria alone; by several accounts, Nzeribe had commercial footprints in nearly every major conflict zone across Africa during the post-independence era.
In the 1960s, he served briefly as a speechwriter to Ghanaian President Kwame Nkrumah. Following the 1966 military coup that deposed Nkrumah, Nzeribe skillfully aligned himself with the new regime—a move emblematic of his political adaptability. However, his proximity to power in Ghana came at a cost. In April 1969, he was implicated in a bribery scandal involving then Head-of-State Joseph Arthur Ankrah, which contributed to Ankrah’s resignation.
After another political fallout in Ghana under J.J. Rawlings, Nzeribe was deported in 1979. He relocated to the United Kingdom, where he continued his private business ventures, including arms trade and international lobbying.
Back in Nigeria, Nzeribe established FANZ Organisation in 1970, shortly after the civil war. The firm became a major holding for his investments in oil, construction, and communications.
Perhaps one of his most controversial political actions came in 1993. Through his organization, the Association for Better Nigeria (ABN), Nzeribe filed a controversial court injunction to halt the announcement of the June 12 presidential election results. Widely believed to be Nigeria’s fairest and freest election, the annulment that followed plunged the nation into political crisis, with Nzeribe cast as a central antagonist.
In Nigeria’s Fourth Republic, as Senator for Imo West, Nzeribe continued to stir national debate. In May 2000, he urged the National Assembly to impeach President Olusegun Obasanjo over the unresolved Sharia law crisis, citing the danger posed to national unity. The religious violence that erupted in Kaduna during that period left hundreds dead—many of them Eastern Nigerians—at the hands of Islamist extremists.
Arthur Nzeribe, equal parts tycoon, tactician, and survivor, passed away in 2022. His legacy remains contentious: hailed by some as a master strategist, condemned by others as a self-serving opportunist—but never ignored.
– Kingpin Eshiet
The David Mark-led faction of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) has approached the Court of Appeal to challenge the Federal High Court judgement that removed its leadership.
The opposition party also disclosed that it had filed an application seeking a stay of execution of the judgement pending the hearing and determination of its appeal.
The party made this known in a statement on Friday, November 6, adding that it had formally notified the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) of the legal steps taken,
The appeal is against the judgement delivered by the Federal High Court in Abuja on November 5, 2026, in Suit No. FHC/ABJ/CS/1619/2025, involving Hon. Nafiu Bala Gombe and the ADC.
The party urged INEC to refrain from taking any further action on the matter until the Court of Appeal has considered the case.
It argued that the application for a stay of execution was yet to be decided and that the electoral commission should not take any step that could affect the outcome of the appeal.
According to the ADC, it expects INEC to respect the ongoing legal process and allow the appellate court to hear the matter before making any decision connected to the judgement.
The statement partly read, “The ADC is exercising its lawful right to appeal. The judgement is now being challenged before a higher court, and the legal process must be allowed to run its course.
“We expect INEC to uphold the law and take full account of the pending proceedings before making any consequential decisions.”
The party also urged its members and supporters to remain calm, insisting that the court judgement would not stop its political activities.
It said its campaigns would continue while it explored all available legal options to defend its position.
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The Federal High Court in Abuja has nullified the leadership of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) led by Senator David Mark, declaring the caretaker committee that oversaw the party’s affairs illegal and invalidating all decisions taken by the committee.
The judgment, delivered on Thursday by Justice Peter Lifu, also affects the presidential primary that produced former Vice President Atiku Abubakar as the ADC’s flag bearer for the 2027 general elections.
Atiku, whose name had earlier been published by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) as the party’s presidential candidate, had already selected former Rivers State Governor, Rotimi Amaechi, as his running mate.
The ruling followed a suit instituted by Nafiu Bala Gombe, a former National Deputy Chairman (North-East) of the ADC, who challenged the process through which the David Mark-led leadership assumed control of the party.
Gombe argued that following the resignation of the party’s former National Chairman, Chief Ralph Nwosu, he was constitutionally entitled to take over the leadership.
He consequently asked the court to invalidate all actions undertaken by the Mark-led leadership and restrain Senator Mark and Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola from presenting themselves as the party’s National Chairman and National Secretary, respectively.
The plaintiff maintained that their emergence violated the ADC constitution and relevant provisions of the Electoral Act.
In suit No. FHC/ABJ/CS/1819/2025, the ADC, INEC, Senator David Mark, Aregbesola and Chief Ralph Nwosu were listed as defendants.
Justice Lifu upheld Gombe’s claims and granted the reliefs sought, effectively invalidating the authority of the caretaker committee and decisions taken under its leadership.
The verdict is expected to trigger fresh political uncertainty within the ADC, particularly over Atiku’s presidential ambition and the party’s preparations for the January 16, 2027 presidential election.
However, the party has vowed to challenge the judgment at the appellate court.
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