A former Presidential Candidate and a Chieftain of the All Progressive Congress, APC, Mr. Gbenga Olawepo-Hashim has described the death of Ghali Na'Abba, former Speaker of Nigeria's House of Representative and former Governor Rotimi Akeredolu of Ondo State, as a huge loss to Nigeria's politics and democracy.
In a statement released by his Media Office in Abuja on Wednesday, Olawepo-Hashim explained that the duo were political giants who bestrode the nation's political landscape.
He maintained that the former speaker was a patriot, selfless politician, and true democrat who sacrificed his ambition by repelling dictatorship and instituting the independence of the Legislature, adding that "Na'Abba was inspiringly principled, courageous and a deeply patriotic Nigerian who was completely detribilised, tolerant, liberal, gentle and affectionate."
According to him, Nigeria and Nigerians will surely miss this great Nigerian and a selfless politician whose effort to sustain democracy and good governance in the country remains indelible.
On Akeredolu, Olawepo-Hashim stressed that the former Governor of Ondo state contributed immensely in the struggle to uphold the rule of law in Nigeria through his legal practice and as President of the NBA, before venturing into partisan politics.
He noted that the former Ondo State governor was a believer in the principles of true federalism and his death would remain as a great loss to the nation .
"Both men I knew closely. With Na'Abba, we were in the "class of 1999" together as I was active in the National Executive Committee of the ruling party both as a national officer and as founding Chairman of the Group of 54 NEC members when the late Na'Abba succeeded Salisu Buhari as Speaker.
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"In 2019 when I contested as President, Na'Abba with DR Olisa Agbakoba (SAN), co-chaired my campaign council. I shared the deep hope of full recovery with him as he struggled to survive the illness that took him at my last visit with him," Olawepo-Hashim said.
The frontline politician prayed that God would grant the families and the loved ones of these two great Nigerians the fortitude to bear the irreparable loss .
Born on September 27, 1958, the former Speaker breathed his last in the early hours of Wednesday in Abuja. Na'Abba, a prominent figure in Nigerian politics, served as the Speaker of the House between 1999 and 2003. He represented the Kano Municipal Federal Constituency, securing victory during the April 1999 general elections.
Na'Abba was a political scientist and a policy architect. He obtained a bachelor's degree in Political Science from the Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria in 1979. His early education was at Jakara Primary School, Kano where he obtained his First School Leaving Certificate in 1969.
As a Political Science student of Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, he was elected as an executive committee member of the ABU chapter of the revolutionary People's Redemption Party established in the Second Republic by the maverick politician, Mallam Aminu Kano.
As a student of Mallam Aminu school of good governance, nation building and transparency in politics he became a notable politician in Kano state and Nigeria in general.
