Ekwueme founding father of Nigeria’s democracy – Gana

Ekwueme founding father of Nigeria’s democracy – Gana

Wednesday, January 31, 2018 11:03 pm


The late Ekwueme

Former Minister of Information, Prof. Jerry Gana, on Wednesday said that late former Vice President, Dr Alex Ekwueme, was one of the founding fathers, who fought for democracy in Nigeria.

Gana said this in an interview with News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja.

He said that after the collapse of the Second Republic in 1983, Ekwueme became one of the inspirational leaders of the political class, who participated in all political summits in Lagos in 1995 to restore democracy.

He recalled that a former Minister of Agriculture, Alhaji Adamu Ciroma, a very close associate of the deceased, also came up with the suggestion that the progressives and conservatives must work together for restoration of democracy.

The former minister, who is a chieftain of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), said that suggestion led to initial meetings in Ekwueme’s in Lagos, with Ciroma, late Solomon Lar and late Abubakar Rimi and himself in attendance.

He said that the group which later had Sen. Francis Ella, late former Minister of Justice and Attorney-General of Federation, Chief Bola Ige and former Governor of Jigawa, Sule Lamido, transformed into G-34 group.

He recalled that Ekwueme emerged chairman of the group, while he was the secretary, adding that the deceased was a profound man of tremendous intellect, a man of ideas and integrity.

Gana said that though Ekwueme died at 85, he would be missed because he still had something to offer.

He said that the late former vice president worked hard for unity and development of the country, and urged Nigerians and politicians to emulate him. (NAN)


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