Mr Peter Obi, the 2023 presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP), has reacted to the demise of a former Governor of Anambra State, Chukwuemeka Ezeife.
TORI reported that Ezeife had his last breath at the age of 85 years on Thursday around 6 p.m. at the Federal Medical Centre, Abuja.
Reacting to the development in a statement on Friday, Obi said he received with shock Ezeife’s death, whom he described as an exceptional patriot, an elder statesman.
He said Ezeife was a de-tribalized Nigerian nationalist, who remained dedicated to the cause of good governance and contributed immensely to deepening the democratic ideals of the nation.
Obi described Ezeife as a father figure whose words of wisdom, advice, and encouragement greatly impacted him positively.
The former Anambra governor said the nation has lost a great soul whose kind heart and wise counsel are needed at this time of our travails as a nation.
He said: “I received with sadness and shock the report of the death of an exceptional patriot, an elder statesman, and the First Civilian Governor of New Anambra State, Chief Dr. Chukwuemeka Ezeife, Okwadike Igboukwu, last night.
“He was a de-tribalized Nigerian nationalist who remained dedicated to the cause of good governance in Nigeria and contributed immensely to deepening the democratic ideals of our dear nation.
“To me, he was a father figure whose words of wisdom, advice, and encouragement greatly impacted me positively. In his death, Nigeria has lost a great soul whose kind heart and wise counsel are needed at this time of our travails as a nation.
“May God who called him home grant him eternal rest, and grant his family, and all of us who mourn him, the fortitude to bear his sad irreplaceable loss.”
I received with sadness and shock the report of the death of an exceptional patriot, an elder statesman, and the First Civilian Governor of New Anambra State, Chief Dr. Chukwuemeka Ezeife, Okwadike Igboukwu, last night. pic.twitter.com/MdNsOwhiiV
— Peter Obi (@PeterObi) December 15, 2023
