The national leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) paid a condolence visit to the family of the late former Vice President, Dr Alex Ekwueme, on Wednesday in Enugu.
The delegation, led by the National Chairman of the party, Mr Uche Secondus, was received at the Independence Layout residence of the deceased by his wife, Mrs Beatrice Ekwueme.
Secondus said in their condolence message that the death of Ekwueme was not just a loss to the party in particular, but to Nigeria and Africa in general.
He said the party felt his demise, adding that the former vice president will always be in their memory.
“Our party has lost a great man who midwifed the formation of this party but we are encouraged that he has completed what God wanted him to do.
“We are here to condole with the family. The party will be part of the funeral arrangement till interment,” he said.
Secondus described Ekwueme as a detribalised Nigerian, who commanded great respect from all sections of the country.
“In 1998, he worked tirelessly and because of the respect he commanded he endeared himself to people who trooped out to form the PDP.
“He led a life of integrity and showed the young and old that politics can be played without bitterness,” he said.
The PDP national chairman noted that the deceased hard work would remain fresh in the minds of Nigerians.
The Chairman, Board of Trustees of the party, Alhaji Walid Jibrin, described Ekwueme as a man of honour and integrity.
Jibrin said the deceased led a simple life and believed in the unity of the country.
“I knew him during the second republic and the relationship endured,” Jibrin said.
Responding on behalf of the family, the daughter of the deceased, Mrs Chidi Onyemelukwe, expressed delight receiving the delegation.
She said that her father was a good party man who believed in the ideals of PDP, adding that the party is synonymous with her father.
She advised the leadership of the party to go back to the core values of the party to make it supreme.
“It will be wonderful if the party instills discipline in members. The party should be supreme and I am sure that if this is done my father will be happy wherever he is.
“Thank you for honouring my father. May his ideals hold sway in the party and Nigeria in general and may power indeed belong to the people as we say,” Onyemelukwe said.
Other dignitaries in the delegation include the National Organising Secretary of the party, Col. Austin Akobundu (rtd.), former PDP chairman, Chief Okwesilieze Nwodo, former Senate President, Chief Adolphus Wabara.
Others are former Plateau governor, Sen. Jonah Hang; former Deputy Speaker House of Representatives, Chief Emeka Ihedioha; Mrs Kema Chikwe’; Gov. Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu State, and representatives of the members of the National Assembly from the party, among others.
