Lawan, Ekweremadu mourn Senator Wayas

Senate President, Ahmad Lawan, and a former Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu, have expressed sadness over the death of Second Republic Senate President, Senator Joseph Wayas, describing it as a great loss for Nigeria.

Lawan, in a statement issued yesterday I his Special Adviser on Media, Ola Awoniyi, said the late Senator Wayas was “a great lawmaker and political leader who served his country and people with dedication and integrity.”

“As the Senate President in the Second Republic, Senator Wayas led the upper chamber with competence and passion. He was a great symbol of his political era.

“Senator Wayas continued to contribute to nation-building, democracy and socio-economic development of Nigeria even after he left public office in 1983.

“He played a significant role as Deputy Chairman of the 1994-95 National Constitutional Conference and took part in many other national assignments.

“Nigeria will sorely miss his wealth of experience,” Lawan stated.

The Senate President, therefore, commiserate with the family of Senator Wayas, the government and people of Cross River State, friends and political associates of the late elder statesman.

In his own, Ekweremadu described the deceased as a veteran of the Nigerian legislature and key player in Nigeria’s constitutional development.

 

The former Deputy Senate President, in a statement issued by his Media Adviser, Uche Anichukwu, said the elder statesman would be sorely missed.

He said: “I received with a deep sense of loss the passing on of elder statesman and Nigeria’s former President of the Senate, Distinguished Senator Joseph Wayas.

 

“This is particularly a grievous loss to the Nigerian legislature and the nation as a whole. He was a veteran and an institutional memory bank of the Nigerian legislature, and a key player in Nigeria’s constitutional development, having Deputy Chairman of the National Constitutional Conference Commission, which midwifed the 1994/1995 Constitutional Conference.

 

“Senator Wayas gave his all to the nation, had a tempering effect on the polity and acquitted himself most creditable as a patriot, pan-Nigerian, and people-vested political icon and leader.

 

“It is sad that he passed on at this critical juncture in Nigeria’s history when the wise counsels of elders of his status are most needed”

 

He condoled with the Wayas’ family as well as the people and government of Rivers State over the loss and prayed God to grant the soul of the deceased eternal repose.