By Steve Oko

Former Senate President and the Chairman, Board of Trustees (BoT) of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party,PDP, Senator Adolphus Wabara, has expressed grief over the death of the first Civilian Governor of Abia State, Dr Ogbonnaya Onu.

Similarly, former Deputy Governor of Abia State, and Senator representing Abia South district, Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe has expressed shock and sadness over the death of the former Governor.

This is as the Abia State governorship candidate of the All Progressive Grand Alliance, APGA,  in the 2023 poll, and member of Ohanaeze Ndigbo Presidential Advisory Council, Prof. Gregory Ibe has described Onu’s death as a devastating blow to the Igbo nation.

Senator Wabara who spoke with Vanguard in Umuahia, regretted that the APC chieftain left when his wisdom, experience and counsel were most needed.

He said that Chief Onu was an embodiment of politics without bitterness who would be remembered for his many enduring legacies.

The former Senate President noted that Onu’s brief stay as Abia Governor still has legacies to be remembered for, lamenting that the vacuum created by his exit will take some time to be filled.

“Nigeria has lost another colossus; a true detribalised Nigerian and a man of peace”, the former Senate President lamented.

He condoled members of his immediate family and the people and Government of Ebonyi State while praying God to grant his soul eternal bliss in his kingdom.

Meanwhile, Senator Abaribe, in a statement by his Media Adviser, Uchenna Awom, said that “Onu’s death is a huge loss to Nigeria, Ebonyi and Abia States.”

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Abaribe said that the former Governor charted the course for the modern day Abia State such that “he is still being remembered for long after Afikpo was carved out of the state.”

The statement read:”As the first civilian governor of the state, he laid a solid foundation for which the God’s Own State became the first in all ramifications in the committee of states in Nigeria.

“His demise came to me as a shock and I will continue to remember what he stood for while alive: uprightness. straightforwardness and epitome of civility in politics.

“He will continue to be remembered in the history of Abia State as his demise is a huge loss to the people of Ebonyi, Abia, Ndigbo and Nigeria in general”, Abaribe said.

Senator Abaribe therefore extends his condolences to the immediate family and the people of Ebonyi.

Similarly, the Abia State governorship candidate of APGA in the 2023 poll, and member of Ohanaeze Ndigbo Presidential Advisory Council, Prof. Gregory Ibe has expressed grief over Onu’s demise.

Professor Ibe in a statement by his Media Aide, Rev. Sleek Ogwo, expressed deep condolences to the members of his immediate family, enjoining them to bear the loss with courage while reminiscing on the legacies of the former Governor.

The statement read: “I am deeply saddened by the disturbing news of the sudden death of the pioneer civilian Governor of our state Dr Ogbonnaya Onu, at the age of 72. Let me therefore use this medium to condole with members of the Eze David Aba Onu family of Amata Uburu in Ohaozara Local Government Area of  Ebonyi state, and enjoin them to bear the loss of our political leader with courage while reminiscing on his educational and political legacies. “

Recalling the last close contact and  interaction he had with the late former Governor, Prof. Ibe described  Onu as “a peace loving man whose love for his land of nativity and the Igbo nation was exemplary”, and prayed for repose of his soul in eternity.

According to him, “I recall his last visit to the 7th Convocation ceremony of our institution, Gregory University Uturu, where he was conferred with honorary degree by our college of Natural and Applied Sciences. Since then we have been in constant conversation considering strategies for lasting reformation of our national education curriculum as it affects Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics(STEM) education.

“In fact our last discussion on the subject only took place just last month.Thats why I feel so sad about this development”.