From Fred Itua, Abuja and Felix Ikem, Nsukka
Chairman, Senate Committee on Privatisation and former governor of Abia State, Dr. Orji Uzor Kalu, immediate past senator who represented Enugu North, Chukwuka Utazi, chairman of PDP in Enugu North senatorial district, Nze Mike Onyeze and others have described the death of Ayogu Eze, who represented Enugu North senatorial district between 2007 and 2015 as shocking and sad.
A founding member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) before he defected to the All Progressives Congress (APC) where he ran for Enugu State governorship election, Senator Eze died in an Abuja hospital after a protracted illness, yesterday.
In the Senate, he was appointed chairman of the senate committee on Information and Media, making him the official spokesperson of the senate in 2007. After his reelection in 2011, he was appointed chairman of the Senate committee on works.
Eze also served as a member of committees on Police Affairs, National Planning, Marine Transport and Federal Character & Intergovernmental Affairs.
In May last year, the Senate confirmed this appointment and five others as Federal Commissioners for Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC).
He attended the Institute of Management and Technology (IMT), Enugu, where he obtained a Higher National Diploma in Mass Communication. He proceeded to the International Institute for Journalism in Berlin, Germany, where he graduated on top of the G55 student stream, comprising working journalists from about 14 African countries.
He also studied for a Master’s Degree in Public Administration from the University of Lagos.
He had also successfully attended the executive education programmes of the Harvard Kennedy School of Government, where he studied “Leadership for the 21st Century: Chaos, conflict and courage”; Säid Business School of the Oxford University, where he studied “The Oxford Programme on Negotiation” as well as the Judge Business School of the University of Cambridge, where the focus of study was “Leadership in Parliamentary Oversight Programme.”
Kalu, who described Eze as a consummate politician and patriotic Nigerian, urged the family to uphold the remarkable deeds of the late politician.
The former governor acknowledged the contributions of Eze to Nigeria’ s democracy in various capacities, adding that the late politician will be remembered for his exemplary leadership qualities.
In a condolence message, Kalu prayed to God to grant the Eze family the fortitude to bear the irreplaceable loss. “I received with sadness the news of the passing of my former colleague in the national assembly, Senator Ayogu Eze , who represented the people of Enugu North Senatorial district in the national assembly (2007-2015).
“He was a complete gentleman who was passionate about the growth and progress of his constituency, Enugu state and Nigeria in general.
“The late politician was selfless, patriotic and committed to nation building.
“His good deeds will continue to speak for him.
“The late Eze will be greatly missed.”
Kalu prayed to God to grant the late politician eternal rest.
Reacting, Senator Utazi, minority whip of the ninth Senate said: “This is the worst news of this year. What a great loss! This was the best governor of Enugu State from Nsukka extraction we never had.
“Ayogu Eze was a consensus builder par excellence who listened to the request of Nsukka zone led by me that he drop his governorship election petition in the tribunal in the interest of peace, and he did. He had a sterling tenure in the Senate. He was an orator, very courageous and fearless. Nsukka Cultural Zone, Enugu State, and Nigeria will miss him,” he said.
Nze Onyeze said his death was shocking and a big loss to the people of Nsukka, Enugu State, and the entire country.
“Ayogu was a great son of Nsukkaland and was passionate about the well-being of the people and development of Enugu North Senatorial District. Some of us were not aware of his illness until the news of his death.
“He gave Nsukka district quality representation during his time at the National Assembly and brought some developmental projects to the area. I am devastated about his sudden demise, and I pray that God will give the family, and the people of Nsukka the fortitude to bear the loss,” he said.
Former Senior Special Assistant on Protocols and Security to former President Olusegun Obasanjo, Amb. Ejike Eze said Senator Ayogu was one man who excelled in whatever he did.
“As a journalist with the Guardian newspaper, he went around the world and he made his mark excellently, as a politician he kept in touch with his people and ensured that he used his position to attract developments and dividends of democracy to his constituency.
“He was a bonafide and a true son of Nsukka and the patriotic Nigeria, as the spokesperson of the Senate during his time at the national assembly he knew his onus and delivered on his duty meritoriously projecting the image of the Senate,” he said.
Amb. Eze, who was also the senatorial candidate for the APC in Enugu North in the last general elections, added that Eze’s death is a great loss to Ndi Nsukka, Enugu State, and the entire country.
For Emma Ugwuerua, former Enugu State House of Assembly member “the news of Senator Ayogu Eze’s death is a rude shock to me, the people of Enugu North Senatorial district, ndiEnugu and Nigerians at large.
“We have lost a rare gem, a colossus, an astute politician, and a man with a golden voice and oratory prowess.
“He made indelible marks in Nigeria politics and in the field of journalism. Ayogu Eze’s passage is indeed a colossal loss to us and this has unavoidably created a vacuum too difficult to fill,” he said.