A former president of the Senate Anyim Pius Anyim Thursday mourned the demise of the 2nd Speaker of the 4th House of Representative of the country, Ghali Umar Na’abba.
Anyim described the death of Hon. Na’abba as a national tragedy and a setback to democracy.
Recounting the activities of late Na’abba at the 4th Assembly, Anyim advocated that the former Speaker be immortalized in the second wing of the Assembly.
Anyim in a statement made available to Blueprint said, “On December 19,2023, the former presiding officers of the National Assembly met and decided that we should all meet the next day at the National Hospital to review the situation of our former colleague and see how we can all contribute in any way to his speedy recovery.We did convene and decided that as soon as he was stabilized,every plan should be expedited to transfer him abroad for further medical assistance.
“Sadly,on the 27th of December,2023,the tragic news of his death broke,leaving little time to seek additional medical assistance. Hon. Ghali’s death is a national tragedy and a setback to our democratic progress.
“When Hon. Ghali was elected as the second Speaker of the 4th House of Representatives, I had the opportunity to meet him at the 4th National Assembly.Later,I was elected as the 3rd President of the 4th Senate.
“To put it mildly,it was extremely difficult for both of us to lead the National Assembly during the period when democracy was restored following a 16-year absence of parliamentary institutions in Nigeria.
We soon concluded that to accomplish the task at hand,we would need to collaborate closely.
“To re-establish all democratic institution by legislation,we needed to redefine the executive and legislative branches’ relationship and sought to ensure the independence of the legislature.
“Locally, the National Assembly members lacked offices,budgeting procedures, House and Senate rules, and rules governing their remuneration. At the global level, we had to rejoin and become members of important international parliamentary organizations,such as the African Parliamentary Union (APU), Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA),and International Parliamentary Union (IPU), among others.
“In the year 2000,we were at the forefront of the inauguration of the ECOWAS Parliament in Bamako,Mali.My work with Hon. Ghali as leaders of the 4th National Assembly was actually to lay the foundation upon which the subsequent National Assembly could build.
I recall with a sense of credit to Hon. Ghali how he worked with me to develop the brief for the scope and design of the new wings of the National Assembly Complex for Julius Berger Nig. Plc, it was nights of no sleep for several months.
“I remember, with sufficient patriotism, how Ghali and I got together to decide on the Senate’s and the House of Representatives participation ratio in the international parliamentary bodies.I will always be grateful to Ghali for supporting me during my difficult Senate tenure.I respect Ghali’s courage and convictions,and I acknowledge with due sense of humility his sense of brotherhood and camaraderie. His rare insight and intellect are enviable and admirable.
“Today my associate, my friend and my brother,Ghali Umar Na’abba is no more.I lost a friend,the nation lost a patriot,and his family lost a loving and caring father but God receives in heaven an honest and compassionate soul.
“In remembrance of the pioneer work Hon.Ghali accomplished in the House of representatives, it maybe needful to name the House of Representative Wing of the National Assembly Complex as Hon. Ghali Umar Na’abba’s Wing.
Let me use this opportunity to convey my deepest condolences to the past and present leadership of the National Assembly, Ghali’s immediate family and the nation at large.May the soul of my departed brother rest in perfect peace”.
