Yakubu Dogara, the former Speaker of the House of Representatives, has expressed his condolences to the family of Ghali Na’abba, the Fourth Republic Speaker of the House, who passed away in Abuja early on Wednesday at 65.
Dogara praised the late politician for his role in defending democracy while serving as Speaker of the House of Representatives, calling him “a rare gem and a leader like no other.”
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.
Na’abba was supposedly flown out of the nation for medical care prior to his passing, and after fully recuperating from the unidentified illness, he returned to Nigeria.
The Ahmadu Bello University political science graduate from Zaria, Kaduna State, took over as Speaker of the House of Representatives in 1999 when Salisu Buhari resigned due to a scandal involving certificate forgery.
