By Emma Amaize, Festus Ahon, Simon Ebegbulem, Perez Brisibe & Ochuko Akuopha

BENIN—MR Edgar Okpozo, eldest son of the late South-South leader and chieftain of All Progressives Congress, APC, Senator Francis Okpozo, who died in a private hospital in Benin City, Edo State, Monday, has lamented that his father died due to the lack of medical facilities at the University of Benin Teaching Hospital, UBTH.

Senator Francis Okpozo

Okpozo, a one-time Deputy Speaker of the defunct Bendel State House of Assembly, was a veteran politician and Chairman of the Elders, Leaders and Stakeholders Council of the APC in Delta State before he passed on. He was a respected voice in party politics across the country.

As sympathizers thronged the residence of the elder statesman in Benin City to console the family including the widow, Mrs Ann Okpozo, his Ozoro community, Isoko North Local Government Area, Delta State, was desolate, yesterday.

At 7.30a.m, in his Ozoro country home, indigenes were already trooping in, while some gathered in clusters discussing the tragedy in hushed tones.

According to the son, “When my father complained that he was not feeling too well, we took him to UBTH and later we moved him to a private hospital where he died. But it was too bad that UBTH had no medical equipment that befits such hospital, so we were not able to even determine what was wrong with him due to lack of equipment.

“They were treating what nobody knew and we lost him after we moved him to a private hospital. We even had to go outside to conduct some tests and you can imagine in those areas we went for test they may not even have the qualified personnel to ascertain the problems. It is really sad.”

Meanwhile, Delta State governor, Senator Ifeanyi Okowa, yesterday, commiserated with the Okpozo family, following the death of one of their own, Senator Okpozo, who died on Monday at the age of 84 years.

Okowa, in a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Charles Aniagwu, said he received with sadness, the death of the octogenarian politician.

The statement read: “Governor Okowa recalls that Senator Okpozo was a vocal voice in the Senate and until his death he remained a consistent critic and commentator on national issues.”

He said that the late senator served his country and humanity with his God-given strength and talent, noting that he was a worthy leader in the Niger Delta.