Jonathan, Buhari, govs, others mourn Ume –Ezeoke

Posted by admin General Politics, House, Legislature, National Politics Thursday, August 4th, 2011

President Goodluck Jonathan said yesterday that the death of Chief Edwin Ume-Ezeoke, erstwhile national chairman of All Nigerian People’s Party (ANPP), is a national loss.

The President led other eminent Nigerians including the leadership of the House of Representatives, presidential candidate of Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) in the last April elections, Gen. Muhammadu Buhari (retd), former and incumbent state governors, in mourning Ume-Ezeoke, who died in India on Monday. He was aged 76.

The late Ume-Ezeoke was Buhari’s running mate when the latter contested the presidential poll under ANPP in 2007
But yesterday, the President said that he received with immense sadness and a deep feeling of national loss, news of the death of the former Speaker of the House of Representatives.

In a statement by the presidential spokesman, Dr. Reuben Abati, President Jonathan extended his heartfelt condolences to members of his family and the ANPP. He joined them and other Nigerians in mourning the passing on of Chief Ume-Ezeoke.
Jonathan urged the family, friends and political associates of the late frontline politician to take solace in the knowledge that he lived a very fulfilled life and made very significant contributions to the political development of Nigeria.

“President Jonathan believes that late Chief Ume-Ezeoke’s place in Nigerian history has been secured by his exemplary commitment to national peace, unity and political stability which served the nation very well on several occasions over the long span of his political career, the most recent being his patriotic role as National Chairman of the ANPP”, the statement read.
The President prayed that God Almighty will comfort the bereaved family and grant Ume-Ezeoke eternal peace and rest from his earthly labours.

On his part, Speaker, House of Representatives, Hon. Aminu Tambuwal, described Ume-Ezeoke’s death as a monumental loss to the nation.
In a statement, issued yesterday, the Speaker said that the late former Speaker and elder statesman will be remembered for his political doggedness and legislative experience which endeared him to millions of Nigerians across ethnic, religious, political and ideological divides.
The Speaker commiserated with Governor Peter Obi, people of Anambra State and the South East in general as well as the ANPP.

He said the former ANPP national chairman died at a time his experience was needed by the country to wade through the many challenges militating against the polity.
In his words: “His Excellency, Chief Edwin Ume-Ezeoke, has left us at a very difficult period. This is the time we need his experience and fatherly advice. We will certainly miss his nationalistic conduct and patriotic contributions to issues of national interest”.
Also commiserating, Deputy Speaker, Emeka Ihedioha, said that he received with shock news of the passing on of Ume-Ezeoke.

He commended the late politician for his positive contributions to the growth and consolidation of democracy in Nigeria, adding that the country has lost an icon whose wealth of knowledge and experience, lavishly invested in the political process, contributed in no small measure to the promotion of Nigeria’s bicameral legislature when he served as Speaker of the House of Representatives.
Mourning his former running mate while in ANPP, General Buhari described the death of Ume-Ezeoke, in a foreign land, as most unfortunate.

“To think that India, which was just in the same phase of developmental projections with Nigeria in the 60s, has now become our medical haven, is a big indictment of the way our health facilities like other infrastructures have been run aground”, he stated.
He prayed for the repose of the soul of Chief Ume-Ezeoke and that God will grant the family he left behind the fortitude to bear the loss.

Former Governor of Abia State, Chief Uzor Orji Kalu, while mourning the departed politician, described late Ume-Ezeoke as a dogged fighter.
In a statement, Kalu said: “Ume-Ezeoke was a blunt politician who was always ready to fight if he believed in a cause. You cannot take that away from him.”
The former governor also praised the late elder statesman for helping to stabilize the polity at crucial moments.

“In the First Republic, Ume-Ezeoke was part and a product of the NPN/NPP accord. In 2007, he supported President Umaru Yar’Adua’s Government of National Unity. May history be fair to him”, he prayed.

Also, Governor Adams Oshiomhole of Edo State, yesterday described the death of the former ANPP boss as a big loss to the political class in the country.
In a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Peter Okhiria, the governor said the late politician left an indelible print in the nation’s political space.

According to him, “Ume-Ezeoke’s contributions to the enthronement of democracy, as a member of the G-34 after years of military rule, are indelible; he was also outstanding as Speaker of the House of Representatives in the Second Republic.
“He will always be remembered for his forthrightness and contributions to national issues. We pray God to grant the family the fortitude to bear the loss and to grant the departed rest in His bosom,” the governor said.

Anambra State Governor, Mr. Peter Obi, in a statement, yesterday in Awka, described the death of Ume-Ezeoke as a great loss to Nigeria.
According to him, “Shortly before he travelled to India on medical treatment, he visited me on what we are doing and how he could contribute. We held a very useful discussion.
“We shall greatly miss him and his wealth of experience. I join other Nigerians to mourn his passing away. It is another dark moment for Nigeria and Anambra State in particular.”

Former Governor of Anambra State and the Senator representing Anambra Central Senatorial Zone, Dr. Chris Ngige, has described the late Ume-Ezeoke as a political colossus.
Ngige, said that the former Speaker gave Nigeria’s democracy stability in the Second Republic.
He said; “The death came to me with a great shock and disbelief. This is because I had, about a month ago, met with this great political giant and his wife at Enugu Airport and did chat together animatedly, without him showing any sign of indisposition.

“We mourn his exit but will always remember him as the Speaker of Parliament who gave Nigeria’s democracy stability in the Second Republic, between 1979 and 1983, by piloting the NPP/NPN accord successfully even when the accord had broken down in the executive branch of government, all in pursuit of unity and prosperity for his country men and women. I was at that time a physician to the National Assembly and hence was a witness to the political dexterity exhibited in this direction by the late politician”, Ngige stated.

In a condolence message addressed to the first son of the deceased, Mr. Chinemere Ume-Ezeoke for the bereaved family, ANPP’s National Chairman, Dr. Ogbonnaya Onu, said his party would miss its immediate past chairman.

Onu noted that his predecessor became the chairman of the ANPP at a time the party was going through many challenges, but observed that he did his best to tackle those challenges.
“Surely, as a political family, we shall continue to miss him. We urge you to please take heart. At all times, you can count on the goodwill and prayers of our members, especially at this hour of grief. Kindly convey our condolences to your dear mother, brothers and sisters and all those who share with you the pain of his death”, Onu said.

The umbrella body of Igbo socio-cultural organizations, Ohaneze Ndigbo, also described the death of Ume-Ezeoke as regrettable and unfortunate.
President-General of Ohaneze, Raph Uwechue, said that “for every Igbo person and indeed Nigerian, who knew Ume-Ezeoke, it was a regrettable and unfortunate development.
“Ndigbo will mourn him and his death is a heavy blow and loss to the entire country called Nigeria. It is a necessary end that will come when it will come, we are only praying to God to grant his soul rest in the bosom of the Lord which he rightly desired.”

In her reaction, the Special Adviser to the President on National Assembly, Senator Joy Emordi described the late politician as a great patriot that was committed to the unity of Nigeria.
She said: “His death is a big loss to the country, Ndigbo and particularly Anambra State. He was a great patriot, so committed to the unity of Nigeria. Even, when it calls for compromise he was always ready to compromise once it had to do with the lager interest of the country.
A cabinet chief in his Amichi community and Commissioner for Information in Anambra State, Chief Maja Umeh, however, expressed rude shock on the news of the demise of Ume-Ezeoke.
He described the late politician as ‘a manifested true believer in the Nigerian project’, saying Ume-Ezeoke was renowned for his national conciliatory approach to politics, which made him a statesman par excellence.

The Anambra State Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) chairman, Prince Ken Emeakayi in his reaction said; “It is a very sad and unfortunate news, coming at this time Igbos are being grossly marginalized in the political landscape of Nigeria and leaders like Ume-Ezeoke are needed.
National Vice Chairman of ANPP (South East), Chief George Moughalu said Ume-Ezeoke’s death came when the country really wanted people like him to reshape it, adding, “but there is nothing we can do about it but to pray to God to stand by the family and grant his soul eternal rest.”

-Sunwp_posts

Short URL: https://newnigerianpolitics.com/?p=11307

Posted by admin on Aug 4 2011. Filed under General Politics, House, Legislature, National Politics. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can leave a response or trackback to this entry