•Okowa, Dickson, Tambuwal laud ex-vice president
From Obinna Odogwu, Abakaliki, Paul Osuyi, Asaba, George Onyejiuwa, Owerri and Wole Balogun, Ado-Ekiti
Chairman of the South East Governors forum and Governor of Ebonyi State, Chief David Umahi, has described the death of former Vice President, Dr. Alex Ekwueme, as the end of an era.
Ekwueme died in a London hospital, at 85, on Sunday.
Umahi, in a statement signed by his Chief Press Secretary, Emmanuel Uzor, expressed shock over the death of Dr Ekwueme, and described it as a great loss to Ndigbo in particular and Nigeria in general.
He commiserated with the Government of Anambra State and the entire Ekwueme family of Oko, in Orumba North Local Government Area, for the loss and prayed God to grant him eternal rest.
“The death of our father and leader, Dr. Ekwueme, was so devastating, especially now that his fatherly advice is needed most. He was a great Nigerian and great believer in the unity of the country. As his children, we have learnt a lot from his deep political sagacity.
“As vice president of Nigeria, Ekwueme was a great, rallying factor of Igbo socio-political integration. His was a voice of reason and a man who toiled to place Ndigbo at the centre of mainstream politics. Indeed, we have lost a rare gem, a gentleman and a decent politician and academic,” he said.
The governor further disclosed that the South East, through the governors, would soon draw up a programme on how to pay their last respects “to the fallen political Iroko.”
From Delta State, Governor Ifeanyi Okowa also commiserated with Anambra state Governor, Chief Willie Obiano and the people of Anambra, on Ekwueme’s demise.
Okowa also conveyed his condolences specifically to the family of the late elder statesman, particularly Oko Kingdom, and describedhim as “a committed patriot who served the nation at the highest levels with an uncommon sense of patriotism and unwavering dedication.”
Okowa spoke through his Chief Press Secretary, Charles Aniagwu, where he said he was saddened by the demise of the former chairman of the Board of Trustees of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP).
“Dr. Alex Ekwueme was a committed patriot, an astute politician and altruistic vice president who worked assiduously to better the lots of his people and Nigerians in general.
“Through his purposeful leadership and development strides, the late Ekwueme influenced the establishment of the Federal Polytechnic, Oko, which brought about unprecedented development of Oko Kingdom.”
The governor remarked that, as a democrat, “the late Ekwueme etched his name in the annals of Nigeria’s democratic advancement by working courageously for the emergence and consolidation of the Fourth Republic in 1999, when he joined forces with other leaders to form the PDP.”
To the Governor of Bayelsa State, Henry Seriake Dickson, Ekwueme was an icon of democracy, “who saw and used politics as a tool to serve and not to be served.
“In truth, Ekwueme was a gentleman politician, consummate democrat, a hero, an icon of democracy who believed in the rule of law and ventured into politics to serve.”
The governor also described the passing of the elder statesman as “a monumental loss to Nigeria and Africa, in general.”
He remembered the octogenarian politician as a quintessential family man and a world class architect, and added that “posterity will remember him as one of the indigenous architects who designed the Federal capital Territory (FCT), Abuja.”
In his tribute, Sokoto State Governor, Aminu Waziri Tambuwal said Ekwueme’s death came with extra pain.
Tambuwal described Ekwueme as “a true statesman whose selfless and meritorious service to God, country and humanity was felt by all.”
In a condolence message by his spokesman, Mallam Imam Imam, Tambuwal said Ekwueme was a distinguished legal luminary, exemplary politician and a great community leader.
“For us in Sokoto, Dr. Ekwueme’s death comes with extra pain because he was vice president to one of our distinguished sons, Alhaji Shehu Shagari.
“The deceased proved himself an able lieutenant, who together with other members of their team, gave their best for the unity, progress and stability of the Federation in the Second Republic and beyond.
“His death has, therefore, closed a chapter in the life of one of Nigeria’s most respected voices, who made his mark in both public and private sectors,” Tambuwal added.
Imo state Governor, Rochas Okorocha, described Ekwueme as a detribalised Nigerian, “who launched Igbo into national politics since the Second Republic and refused to be cajoled into playing tribal politics, and, until his death, Dr. Ekwueme remained in the mainstream of Nigerian politics because of his firm believe in the oneness of the nation.”
According to the governor, “Dr. Ekwueme was a good example of the kind of politics Igbo should play at any given time and has left behind a befitting legacy…”
On his part, former Lagos State governor, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu remembered how Ekwueme’s interventions helped navigate critical points in Nigeria.
Tunis said this in a condolence message he sent to Dr. Ekwueme’s family, yesterday.
“Chief Ekwueme lived well. He also served his country well. He was a true patriot and statesman, who made personal sacrifices for the unity and stability of Nigeria.
“His deep intellectual interventions often helped the country in navigating beyond critical junctures. Chief Ekwueme was a team player.
“As vice president, he worked well with his principal, president Shehu Shagari. He was loyal to his boss and faithful to his country.
“As he contributed to Nigeria’s stability through his interventions, he also made laudable contributions to Nigeria’s political lexicon.
“It was Chief Ekwueme who, at the 1994-95 Constitutional Conference in Abuja, suggested the six geo-political zones as a more realistic structure to create a more equitable system.
“This has stuck till date. The structure is also often cited in appointment-distribution and calculation.”
Hometown, Oko, wears mournful look
From Geoffrey Anyanwu, Awka and Jeff Amechi Agbodo, Onitsha
Oko, hometown of late former Vice President, Dr. Alex Ifeanyichukwu Ekwueme, wore a mournful look when news of his demise spread across the community, yesterday.
Natives were seen in groups lamenting and discussing Ekwueme’s death and recounted how he brought fame and development to the town.
When Daily Sun visited the community, Ekwueme’s house, which shares the same fence with St. John’s Anglican Church, was locked, with only security guards at the gate.
At the palace of the traditional ruler of Oko, who is also Ekwueme’s younger brother, Igwe Laz Ekwueme, sympathisers were seen going in and out of the compound.
Although the monarch was reportedly indisposed and could not attend to visitors or speak to newsmen at that moment, few family members, including the wife of the late eldest brother and former traditional ruler of the community, Igwe Sir J. A. Ekwueme, Lady Edith Ekwueme, her daughter, Dr. Mrs Ada Ekwueme-Onuora and Mr. Mike Ekwueme were at hand to receive the visitors who came to condole with the family.
Attempts to have them speak about the late former vice president failed as they all declined comments. They insisted only the monarch, Igwe Ekwueme, would speak on behalf of the family.
Also, natives of the community, including the President General, Chief C.Y. Nwamuo, declined comments and directed newsmen to meet with the monarch for official reaction.
However, a man who gave his name as Chukwuma, lamented Ekwueme’s demise and stressed that “he was the eye of the community and brought development to Oko. Ekwueme was our father, he brought light to this community by building this school, which turned out to be the federal polytechnic. By bringing the school, he made us earn money. We do our businesses here and make money. We love him; his death is a big blow to us.”
Meanwhile, Movement for the Actualisation of the Sovereign State Of Biafra (MASSOB), under the leadership of Uchenna Madu, has expressed shock over Ekwueme’s death.
MASSOB National Director of Information, Edeson Samuel, in a statement, yesterday, described Ekwueme’s death as the exit of a Biafra legend, a pioneer Nigeria and visionary leader.
“Ndigbo has lost a great hero, the founder of G34 and also, the founding father of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP). The man who advocated the creation of the South South, for political emancipation of our brothers across the Niger. “Nigeria may miss you but Biafrans miss you more. It is a pity that, until his death, the PDP, of which he was a founding father, failed to appreciate and honour him because he was an Igbo man. If he were Hausa, Fulani or Yoruba, party members would have been worshiping him and according him the respect and honour he deserved.
“Dr. Alex Ekwueme served as vice president; Nigeria may have forgotten him, the PDP which he was the founding leader may have abandoned him, but Ndigbo and MASSOB will continue to remember him. May his gentle soul rest in perfect peace.”
… He was one of our finest politicians –Aregbesola, Fayose
Osun State Governor, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, has echoed Delta State Governor, Ifeanyi Okowa’s tribute when he (Aregbesola) reiterated that, with the death of Dr. AlexEkwueme’s, “it is the end of an era for one of the finest politicians the nation has produced.”
Aregbesola, in a statement through his Media Adviser, Mr. Sola Fasure, said Ekwueme’s exit is a big blow to the nation, which wounds will linger for a very long time. 
Aregbesola stated that until his death, “the former vice president served the country in the highest capacity with such untiring gusto uncommon among politicians of his age bracket. He cherished and preferred dialogue to politics of do-or-die. This, he exhibited, almost to a fault in the ensuring power struggles to select the presidential candidate in his party in 1999 and 2003.”
Also, Ekiti State Governor, Ayodele Fayose, has described Ekwueme as “a humanist who held no grudge against political enemies. Moreover, Dr. Ekwueme’s contributions to the formation of our great party, the PDP, are etched in our minds. He joined others to struggle for the enthronement of democracy, in the face of tyranny at its highest level.”
The All Progressives Congress (APC), in its tribute said Nigeria 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 stabilising 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.”