Buhari, Shagari, Dogara, Mark, APC Mourn Ekwueme
BY SEGUN ADEBAYO, ABUJA – President Muhammadu Buhari on Monday condoled with Nigerians, including the Government and people of Anambra State, over the death of former vice president, Dr Alex Ekwueme, who passed away in a clinic in London.
In a press statement by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Mr. Femi Adesina, Buhari expressed his condolences with the entire Oko Kingdom, the Aguata Council of Traditional Rulers, and the Ekwueme family, over the loss.
The statement read in part, “The President affirms that Dr Ekwueme’s unwavering commitment to the unity of Nigeria had been a major encouragement to many governments, recalling the personal sacrifices he made in helping to lay the foundation for sustainable democracy in Nigeria.
“President Buhari believes Dr. Ekwueme worked assiduously to improve the livelihood of many poor and underprivileged people through the Alex Ekwueme Foundation, describing him as a man who served his country and humanity.
“The President prays that the almighty God will receive the soul of the former Vice President, and grant his family the fortitude to bear the loss.”
In his own reaction, former President Shehu Shagari commiserated with Nigerians over the death of Late Ekwueme, who was his deputy during his tenure.
A statement personally signed by Shagari on Monday said, “It is with a deep sense of loss that I learned about the demise of my brother and former Vice President Alex Ekwueme.
“On behalf of myself, I sincerely commiserate with Nigerians on his death. May his soul rest in peace.”
In his own reaction, Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon Yakubu Dogara, described the death of Dr. Ekwueme, as a monumental loss not just to Nigeria but the entire African continent.
In a statement personally signed by him, Dogara, who extolled the virtues of Ekwueme, also stated that the former number two citizen was a distinguished elder statesman, patriot, nationalist and a true son of Africa.
Dogara further said; “In times as these, elderly wisdom, experience and guidance of Dr. Ekwueme is needed by leaders at all levels so as to enable us surmount the daunting challenges confronting us as a country and as Africans.
“Dr. Ekwueme was a philanthropist, a famous professional architect, lawyer, brilliant politician and a man of peace whose efforts in building bridges of friendship amongst the various peoples of Nigeria is legendary.
“He played politics of ideas, principle and purpose and helped bring stability as Vice President in the Second Republic.”
For the immediate past President of the Senate, Senator David Mark, the late Dr. Ekwueme was a quintessential leader and a hero of the present democratic dispensation in Nigeria.
According to a press statement signed by his media assistant, Mr. Paul Mumeh, “Ekwueme was unarguably a foremost leader of the modern day Nigeria pointing out that besides his successes in politics, he was among the leading indigenous Architects who designed the Federal capital Territory (FCT), Abuja.
He recalled Ekwueme’s relentless struggle for the enthronement of democracy in Nigeria when he led the famous G34 that later metamorphosed into the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) that formed the government in 1999.
He listed Ekwueme’s exploits in politics and leadership to include but not limited to propounding the theory of the segmentation of Nigeria into the current six geo political zones for administrative and political convenience during the 1994/95 constitutional conference convoked by late Head of State General Sani Abacha.
He said; “Interestingly, the six geo political zonal structure (North-West, North-East, South-East, South-West, North-Central and South-South) have remain a road map for power sharing arrangement in Nigeria today.”
Similarly, the All Progressives Congress (APC) on Monday mourned the death of respected elder statesman, political intelligentsia.
A statement by the APC National Publicity Secretary, Malam Bolaji Abdullahi states; “Truly, the nation has lost a fine gentleman and a true patriot who demonstrated that politics and integrity are not incompatible.
“The APC will remember the late Ekwueme as a stabilizing voice in Nigerian politics over the years. Many will attest that the late Ekwueme’s political ideas and interventions greatly and positively shaped the country’s political fabric. The Party recalls that at the 1994-95 constitutional conference, the late Ekwueme suggested a six-zone geo-political structure to create a more equitable system. That structure is now in operation in the country today.
“The late Ekwueme was also undoubtedly one of the strong pillars of democracy in the country. Through the G-34 group, he was a key actor that doggedly fought for the country’s return to a democracy during the military dictatorship of Gen. Sani Abacha and ultimately birthed the present fourth republic.”
