Vice President, Kashim Shettima, and former Anambra State Governor, Chris Ngige, were present in the Senate on Tuesday, as the Chamber dedicated its plenary session to honour the late Senator Ifeanyi Ubah.
Also present in the Chamber were Uche Ekwunife, former Senator representing Anambra Central in the 9th Assembly, Ekaette Akpabio, wife of the President of the Senate, Hauwa Jibrin-Barau, wife of the Deputy President of the Senate; and Oluyemisi Bamidele, wife of the Senate Leader.
Before his death in the United Kingdom (UK) on July 26, 2024, Ubah represented Anambra South Senatorial District in the National Assembly.
The casket bearing the remains of the Senator lay in state at the foyer of the White House wing, directly in front of the Senate Chamber, to honour the late lawmaker.
Also, in honour of their late colleague, the President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio, donned the traditional Isi-Enyi attire, paired with a matching red cap and dark sunglasses, just as the Senate Leader, Opeyemi Bamidele, wore Isi-Agwu attire during the valedictory session.
The Senate also adorned Ubah’s seat in the Chamber with flowers and was also draped in a cloth green white and green, the colours of the Nigerian flag.
Earlier during the session, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abbas, led a delegation of House leaders in a solemn procession around the late Senator’s casket.
The Senate first suspended its rules to admit family members and close relatives of the late Senator Ubah, for the commencement of a valedictory session in his honour.
Akpabio described the late businessman from Otolo, Nnewi North, as a visionary with extraordinary empathy for all and a champion for economic empowerment and community development.
The President of the Senate who was full of lamentation, described Ubah’s death as a huge deficit in the political terrain of the country.
In his comments, Vice President Kashim Shettima, said: “The last time I met my brother, Senator Ifeanyi Ubah was when you (Akpabio) came with him along with the Majority Leader, Senator Micheal Opeyemi Bamidele and the beautiful Hadiza Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan to condole me over the loss of my mother-in-law.
“The youngest member of the Ninth Senate was also one of its brightest stars. His age belied his political dexterity and grassroots affiliation.
“His generosity knows no bounds. There was a time when the Boko Haram viciously attacked a community in Borno state. Senator Ifeanyi Ubah reached out to me. He sent to my account a donation of N50 million and said please I do not want this donation to be publicised. Ifeanyi Ubah was a good man.
“His rebuilding capacity elevated his political journey beyond others and more established in the arena. I want to align myself with the earlier speaker, Osita Izunaso, who quoted John Donne, who said that ‘in mankind, never send to know for whom the bell tolls.
“It tolls for thee.’ Death is an inevitable destiny that is hanging on everyone’s neck. We are all travellers on our journeys home. From where? From God to God.
“My condolences to his family, friends, and political associates. Most especially to you, good folks, who are planning to go on the journey. I will miss my friends. Thank you very much.”
Senate President Godswill Akpabio said: “We dedicate this day to his (Ubah) memory and the services he rendered to this great country.
We mourn the death of one of the most erudite parliamentarians in Nigeria. He was a member of APC. So I condole with the APC and the APC’s family in the Senate.
“He was an accomplished businessman. His death has numbed all of us into political turmoil. He was a champion of the alleviation of the sufferings of others. Let us not just mourn, let us celebrate his life and times. He believed in and celebrated friendship.”
On his part, Deputy President of the Senate, Senator Barau Jibrin, said the Chamber was in deep mourning. He is a big loss to us. Ifeanyi Ubah was the epitome of courage.
“He was always determined and focused on his goals. He came into the Senate in 2019 on the platform of the Young Progressives Party (YPP), but before you know it, he said he was the leader of the YPP caucus in the Senate.
“He became a power broker in the Senate. He spent his life for his people. A philanthropist to the core. We have lost a brother and a friend. We need to follow up to ensure that his children are well taken care of”, he said.
The Minority Leader of the Senate, Senator Abba Moro, described the death of Ubah as a sad day for the 10th Senate, saying: “This is sunset at noon. Today presents us with a stark reality that Senator Ifeanyi Ubah is no longer alive.
“To the rest of us, the activities of today will show us the vanity of life. I have lost a friend and a fantastic colleague. He was a consummate politician who used both known and unknown instruments to advance his political career.”
Senators Tokunbo Abiru, Adams Oshiomhole, Orji Uzor Kalu, Osita Ngwu, Enyinnaya Abaribe, Sani Musa, Osita Izunaso, Aminu Waziri Tambuwal, Ireti Kingibe, Victor Umeh, Tony Nwoye, Yahaya Abdullahi and Senator Ali Ndume all contributed during the debate.
The Senate observed a minute silence in honour of Ubah, proceeded on a procession and filed past the casket, resolved to send a powerful delegation made up of the Committee of the Whole.
