Victor Ezeja
Presidential candidate of the Labour Party in the 2023 general elections, Mr Peter Obi, has expressed sadness over the death of Ondo State Governor, Rotimi Akeredolu and former Speaker for the Nigeria’s House of Representatives, Hon. Ghali Umar Na’Abba.
Both died on Wednesday.
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Akeredolu, 67, who served as governor of Ondo from 2017 to 2023, gave up after a prolonged battle with leukemia (blood cancer).
Na’Abba, who served as Speaker of the House of Representatives from 1999 to 2003, was from Kano in Northern Nigeria.
Expressing his grief over the loss of both political figures, Obi in a statement posted on his X page on Wednesday said: “I have just received the sad news of the death of two prominent political leaders, the governor of Ondo State, Gov. Rotimi Akeredolu, and the Former Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Ghali Umar Na’Abba.
He said both men have been his long time friends as they constantly had discussions about the challenges of the country.
He prayed that God would grant them eternal rest.
“I was opportune to be close to Gov Akeredolu as the then President of the Nigerian Bar Association, NBA. He invited me to speak at an NBA event and since then we remained close and always discussed issues about Nigeria.
“While Na’Abba served as Speaker, we met on several occasions and always discussed the problems of Nigeria.
“For Akerodolu, may God Almighty who called him home grant him eternal rest in His kingdom, and grant his immediate family and the good people of Ondo State, the fortitude to bear his loss.
“For Ghali Na’Abba, may God Almighty forgive his sins and grant him eternal rest and grant his family and the good people of Kano State, the fortitude to bear his loss.
“Their deaths show us, who are still serving, the nothingness of life and why we should remain firm in good works. May God grant all of us, who mourn them, and the entire nation, the fortitude to bear their losses.”
Victor Ezeja is a passionate journalist with seven years of experience writing on economy, politics and energy. He holds a Master's degree in Mass Communication.
