Senate Snubs Late Ifeanyi Ubah’s Family, Burial, Fails To Send Delegates Or Make Financial Contributions
The Senate leadership, under Godswill Akpabio, appears to have snubbed the family of the late senator representing Anambra South Senatorial District, Ifeanyi Ubah, as top sources confirmed the alleged abnormalities from the Upper Chamber to the deceased’s family.
It was gathered that the Senate leadership failed to set up a committee to liase with the family or the national burial committee.
Sources disclosed further that the Senate leadership never contacted the burial committee or the family to make input in the preparation of their late colleague’s burial.
It was reported that Ubah who represented the Anambra South Senatorial District at the National Assembly was laid to rest on Friday in his hometown, Otolo Nnewi in Anambra State.
Ubah who was re-elected into the 10th Senate under the Young Progressives Party in 2023 but defected to the All Progressives Congress, died in London on July 27.
Dignitaries at the event were; the Labour Party presidential candidate Peter Obi; Senator Orji Uzor Kalu of Abia North; former Senate President Bukola Saraki and Senator Victor Umeh of the Anambra Central district.
Speaking, one of the sources revealed that only two of the nine Senators that attended the burial are from outside the South-East region.
The source said, “Despite the eye service and pretences exhibited by the Senate President on Tuesday, 19th Nov during the Senate valedictory session for the late Senator Ifeanyi Ubah, the leadership of the Senate abandoned the late Senator Ifeanyi Ubah, their colleague who died as a serving Senator, despite being a member of their party, the ruling APC.
“The Senate leadership failed to set up committee to liase with the family or the National burial committee. The Senate leadership never contacted the burial committee or the family to make input in the preparation of their fallen colleague.
“They did not contribute a kobo to the committee throughout the preparation for the burial and the burial proper. Also, the Senate leadership never sent any delegation to Nnewi on 22nd November 2024 to mourn their departed colleague that died in active service.”
Speaking further, another source corroborated, “Senator Osita Ngwu, the Senate Minority Whip that attended the burial was because of his personal relationship with the late Senator Ifeanyi Ubah and also the fact that Senator Osita Ngwu’s wife is from same village (Otolo-Nnewi) with Senator Ubah.
“Total of 9 Senators out of 109 Senators attended the burial namely Senator Abaribe Enyinnaya, Senator Osita Ngwu(Inlaw to Senator Ubah), Senator Izunaso, Senator Okey Ezea, Senator Victor Umeh, Senator Benson Agadaga, Senator Tony Nwoye, Senator Pam from Plateau and Senator Kelvin Chukwu.
“It is worthy of note that 7 Senators out of the 9 Senators that attended the burial are from the South East; only 2 Senators outside South East attended namely Senator Pam from Plateau and Senator Agadaga from Bayelsa.”
“No single Senator from Yoruba extraction, North West and also North East attended the burial, while South South and North Central had only 1 Senator each,” another Senate source said.
“In the Christian parlance, the highest respect someone can pay a departed friend is to pay him last respect by attending the burial especially the burial mass/church service.
“What the Leadership of the Senate did to Senator Ifeanyi Ubah at death who they were dinning and enjoying with when he was alive leaves much to be desired and has exposed them as chamelonic fair weather friends.”
Another source close to the family added, “They did not contribute any kobo for his burial arrangements. They did not talk to or liaise with the burial committee for arrangements or preparations.”
“During the Mass, no senator spoke in the church or on behalf of the Nigerian Senate as tradition demands.”
“The Senate leadership discouraged senators from attending the burial citing nonexistent security concerns. Also, the wife of the Senate President who leads the Senators Wives Forum never sent any delegation to Nnewi or condole with Mrs Uche Ubah,” the source added.
It was reported that Senator Ubah, an All Progressives Congress (APC) stalwart, died in a hotel in London, the United Kingdom in July.
The Senators had held a valedictory session on Tuesday in honour of the late senator.
Attempts to get the reactions of the Senate were not successful as of the time of filing this report.
