Nestor Binabo

Political career

Pre-speakership and early career Binabo began his political career in the Sagbama Local Council. Binabo himself was initially floated as a candidate for the position. During his tenure, he drew controversy for allegedly supporting a plan to fire 500 government workers. In 2011, he was put on trial for allegedly failing to disclose that he was terminated from a position at Rivers State Ministry of Education and forging certificates presented to the Independent National Electoral Commission, which would have disqualified him from public office. He was found innocent in October. During his brief tenure as acting governor, he fired several members of Sylva's cabinet, and threatened legal action against Chevron following a high-profile oil spill. He left office on 14 February 2012, and was succeeded by Henry Dickson of the People's Democratic Party. He was succeeded by Kombowei Benson.

Split from PDP and joining APC (2015) He was expelled from the People's Democratic Party in May 2015 due to alleged anti-party activities in the 2015 general election. He, along with several dozen other PDP chieftains, formally defected to the All Progressives Congress in August 2015. In the years since, he took on increasingly anti-PDP political positions.

APC years (2015–2023) In November 2015, in a speech in Yenagoa, he accused then-governor and former ally Henry Dickson of threatening to assassinate him over a local political rivalry. Dickson and the PDP denied all accusations and characterized them as lies.

As of May 2018, he was the leader of one of the two major factions of the Bayelsa APC. The leader of the other major faction was Timipre Sylva.

He was one of several prominent Bayelsa State APC politicians who endorsed President Muhammadu Buhari's 2019 reelection bid.

He died on 29 June 2023. Former president Goodluck Jonathan and governor of Bayelsa State Douye Diri sent their condolences through their spokespersons.

Personal life Binabo hailed from Okunbiri, Sagbama. Before entering politics, he worked for the Rivers State Ministry of Education as a teacher. He was fired in 1987 for indiscipline, which later became a scandal in his political career.

In March 2008, Binabo's 22-year-old son, Oyeinmomoemi Binabo, was abducted from campus at Niger Delta University. He escaped by running along the banks of the River Nun approximately 24 hours after the initial kidnapping.

On 29 June 2015, Nestor Binabo's wife, Martha Binabo, was kidnapped from her workplace by unidentified gunmen in military uniforms. She was released, unharmed, in Rivers State on 5 July after a ransom was paid. She was released with a bag of fish and a N18,000 transport fare. Reportedly, the kidnappers told her to prepare pepper soup for her husband with the fish.

Binabo survived being physically attacked or assaulted at least three times, including a home invasion resulting in a fatality in 2010. He died after a lengthy illness on 29 June 2023, in Abuja.