Politics
Ekwueme, A Strong Pillar In National Development – Yakasai
An elder statesman in Kano, Alhaji Tanko Yakasai, has described the late former Vice-President, Dr Alex Ekwueme, as a very meticulous and hard working person who contributed a lot toward the development of the country.
Yakasai made the remark in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Kano on Tuesday.
Ekwueme died on Nov. 19, 2017, at a London Hospital after a brief illess and he will be buried on Friday.
Yakasai, who was a Special Adviser to President Shehu Shagari on National Assembly Matters, said the late Ekwueme was also a committed politician who believed in the unity of Nigeria.
“The late elder statesman was a principled and very intelligent person, who bagged five degrees in different fields.”
According to him, Ekwueme spearheaded the campaign for a number of issues, including zoning and rotation during the National Constitutional Conference held between 1994 and 1995.
“So, zoning and rotation was originally part of the defunct National Party of Nigeria (NPN) Programme as it was the party (NPN) that introduced the idea of zoning and rotation.
“During the conference, he (Ekwueme) articulated a number of issues which the conference eventually adopted.”
He said that Ekwueme’s connection with the NPN, gave him the opportunity to be adopted as the Chairman of G34, a group of Nigerians who eventually formed Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
He said he was very close to late Ekwueme even when they were in Kirikiri Prison together after the military coup of 1983.
“I and the late former governor of old Kaduna State, Alhaji Lawal Kaita, kept him (Ekwueme) company in the prison. He even requested me to teach him Hausa language.”
He said there was good understanding between them when they were in government as they used to visit each other’s families.
“We used to disagree on certain issues but we lived peacefully when we were in government,” Yakasai said.
On the state of political parties, he said disloyalty was the bane of Nigeria’s democracy, noting further that governors had hijacked their political parties in their respective states.
He, therefore, urged politicians to change the trend by being loyal to their parties in order to strengthen democracy in the country.
“Disloyalty to political parties is the bane of Nigeria’s democracy and this is a major challenge threatening the system, Yakasai said.
Jay Nnamdi Amaechi
January 31, 2018 at 4:28 am
When fool’s talk you’ll know them
Steve Chigozie
January 30, 2018 at 6:38 pm
Medicine after death, when last did you call or visit him in his life time,
Ekene Udensi
January 30, 2018 at 4:52 pm
Cowards….
Ogboa Peters
January 30, 2018 at 2:25 pm
Thus we wii be remembered by the seed we sowed when we are alive. He had passed on. He was humuliated by putting him in prison while serving his Father land. We wept and cry. Humliated again when he forgive and forgot the past, sake of trying to make an impact, for the good of all. It was PDP I think, still he make peace when there is crisis in PDP. I LOVE HIM. He is not a noisy man. A gentle man, no comment or reply for insults and criticism against him. Today we speak with one acord, singing praises unto God for the LIFE and TIMES of Dr. Alex Ekweme. Match on, Move on to the TEMPLE of GOD Amen.
Onyemaechi Tony
January 30, 2018 at 1:55 pm
Politicians & stupidity, When Ekwueme was alive, comparatively he was nothing….. But a good man when BREATHLESS & ordinarily a CLAY.
Willfred O Osiwu
January 30, 2018 at 1:36 pm
The fulani generation of hypocrites, a people whose destined for doom, children of darkness.
Your regards to him now is bitter, and your lip gratitude to him now is irrelevant.
No one man from all the hausa fulani generation dead or alive is as prominent or as distinguished as our beloved father and leader, late sir Alex Ekweme.
Wih all due respect,
May your precious soul RIP.
Amarachi Obialor
January 30, 2018 at 1:34 pm
Ademuyiwa Adeyemi Isaac
January 30, 2018 at 1:30 pm
Was That The Reason Your Brother Put The Driver Who Caused The Accident(Shagari)Under House Arrest While Putting The Conductor(Ekwueme)Inside Jail?Honestly We Don’t Have Any Reason We Should Be One Nigeria.
Tochukwu Osedum
January 30, 2018 at 1:24 pm
Is he a strong pillar in the national dev how come buhari placed him under house arrest
Davids Mactony
January 30, 2018 at 1:22 pm
Fools.so you know all these and you didn’t give him change to build the nation? Mad people.
Biafra Bueze
January 30, 2018 at 1:21 pm
HOW COME DID BUHARI SENT HIM TO JAIL??? NIGERIA GOVT. KILLED HIM AND NOW THEY ARE TALKING LIKE THEY EVER LIKED HIM. SHIT HOLE NIGERIA
Ifeanyi Nweke
January 30, 2018 at 1:17 pm
medicine after death…..you can talk that thing again….. You talk all this because of he is not alive