Ex-Speaker, Dogara Mourns Na’abba

Former Speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara, has commiserated with the family of the Fourth Republic Speaker of the House, Ghali Na’abba, who passed on in the early hours of Wednesday in Abuja at the age of 65.

Describing the late politician as “a rare gem and a leader like no other,” Dogara lauded Na’abba for his role in the defence of democracy while holding sway as Speaker of the House of Representatives.

In a condolence message he signed and made available to journalists on Wednesday, Dogara wrote, “With a heavy heart but total submission to the will of God, I pay this tribute to an icon, an advocate of transparency, champion of social justice and rule of law who laid a solid foundation for the independence of the legislature in the Fourth Republic, Ghali Na’abba.

“Na’abba was a principled man, a patriot and leader par excellence. The 4th Assembly, under his able leadership, served as a bulwark for the advancement and defence of freedom, liberty, and strict adherence to democratic tenets.”

He stated that Na’abba was a “repository of knowledge who was always willing to share from his fountain of wisdom whenever the legislature ran into murky waters and needed clarity to proceed.”

Dogara also noted that Na’abba’s death was a “personal loss to me as he was a big brother and mentor who was always there to offer his wise counsel to me whenever the need arose.”

Dogara also commiserated with “his immediate family, the government/people of Kano State, and Nigerians.”

“May his gentle soul rest in perfect peace,” he prayed.

Before his death, Na’abba was reportedly flown out of the country for medical attention and returned to Nigeria after fully recovering from the undisclosed ailment.

The graduate of Political Science from Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, Kaduna State, became the Speaker of the House of Representatives in 1999 following the resignation of his predecessor, Salisu Buhari, over a certificate forgery scandal.