By Our Reporter
The Senate yesterday accepted and approved three prayers moved by the Deputy Senate President on the floor of the Upper Chambers in respect of the passing of former Vice President Alex Ekwueme, including the renaming of the Federal Polytechnic Oko and other government institutions after him.
The Senate in approving all the three prayers by Ike Ekweremadu also agreed that the late Ekwueme contributed a lot in shaping what we have today as a modern democratic Nigeria.
Ekwueme died on Sunday, November 19 at a London Hospital where he was moved to on the orders of President Muhammadu Buhari just last week after the former Vice President slipped and was initially admitted at an Enugu Hospital.
Condolence messages have been pouring like rain to the Ekwueme family from government officials – elective and appointive – and from other organisations, local and international, where the late Ekwueme played key roles while he lived.
Among those who had condoled with the Ekwueme family include Buhari, former Presidents Shehu Shagari, Olusegun Obasanjo, Goodluck Jonathan; former military President Ibrahim Babangida, former Heads of State Yakubu Gowon, Abdulsalami Abubakar, and many others.
Bellow is the sequence of the Motion as presented by the Deputy Senate President.
“SPONSOR: Sen. Ike Ekweremadu (Enugu West)
“This Senate,
“NOTES with a deep sense of loss the passing on of the former Vice President of Nigeria, His Excellency, Dr. Alex Ifeanyichukwu Ekwueme, GCON (October 21, 1932 – November 19, 2017).
“NOTES that the late elder statesman was an intellectual giant and consummate professional, who pioneered the business of architecture in modern Nigeria and paid his dues to the social, economic, and political development of Nigeria.
“RECALLS that late Dr. Alex Ekwueme was a bridge builder, patriot, and pan-Nigerian, who played a major role in the post-war reconciliation process in Nigeria.
“CONSCIOUS of the fact that as Vice President of Nigeria, Chief Ekwueme led an exemplary life of unassailable probity and unimpeachable integrity, such that even the military tribunal that tried him during his 20-month detention after the 1984 coups, not only discharged and acquitted him, but also empathically stated that Dr. Ekwueme left office poorer than he was when he entered it, and to ask more from him was to set a standard, which even angels could not meet.
“AWARE that the legend was a fearless soldier of democracy, who, among other efforts, mobilised 34 eminent Nigerians from across the country on the platform of G34 to demand an end to military rule and put pressure on the military to enthrone democracy.
“RECALLS that he was very central to several hallmarks in Nigeria’s political development such as the six geopolitical zones and building one of the Nigeria’s major contemporary political parties, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), which eventually governed this country for 16 years.
“AWARE that the death of Dr. Ekwueme is, therefore, a grave loss to Ndi Anambra, the South East, and the entire Nigeria.
“FURTHER AWARE that the life, times, and selfless service of such courageous, cerebral, and incorruptible leader and patriot should be appreciated and projected as a model for the political leaders, youth, the whole nation, and posterity.
“Accordingly resolves to:
“I. Observe a minute’s silence in honour of late Dr. Alex Ifeanyichukwu Ekwueme, GCON
“ii.Send a delegation of this distinguished Senate to condole with his family, the Government and people of Anambra State;
“iii.Call on the Federal Government of Nigeria to immortalise him by naming the Federal Polytechnic Oko or other key federal institution or assets after him
“I so move.”
