President Bola Tinubu, Former President Muhammadu Buhari, Mr Peter Obi and Former Abia State Governor, Okezie Ikpeazu have expressed thier deepest condolences to the Onu family over the passing of Chief Ogbonnaya Onu, who died on Thursday at 72.
Tinubu said Onu defended the country’s unity and was an advocate for peace.
“The President mourns the first civilian governor of Abia State; former minister of Science, Technology and Innovation, a principal draughtsman in the founding of the All Progressives Congress (APC), and a valiant partner in the victory of the party in the 2015 elections.
“Most importantly, the President celebrates the life of an accomplished scholar, first-class engineer; a man of proven integrity; defiant to indiscipline, but ever yielding to the highest standards of rectitude.”
Ngelale said that Tinubu acknowledged that Onu epitomised the spirit of Nigeria, adding that the deceased believed in and defended the country’s unity, advocated peace, and promoted fellowship.
He said that the President also condoles with the friends and associates of Onu, Ebonyi and Abia State Governments, and all Nigerians grieving this gaping loss.
BUHARI MOURNS INTELLECTUAL GIANT, OGBONNAYA ONU
Former President Muhammadu Buhari joins family members of the deceased, and the entire nation, in mourning the demise of a notable politician, Dr Ogbonnaya Onu, the first civilian Governor of Abia State, and former Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation under his administration.
In his reaction to the news of the death of the former chairman of the All Nigeria Peoples Party, ANPP, a party that once fielded him as a presidential candidate, Muhammadu Buhari said the nation had lost “one of its most outstanding scientific minds and intellectuals. He was an intellectual giant. My heart goes out to his family, the government and people of Abia State, and the country at large. May his soul rest in peace.”
Mr Peter Obi wrote;
It is with deep sadness that I received the reports of the death of my dear elder brother; the first civilian governor of Abia State and former minister of science, technology and innovation, Dr. Ogbonnaya Onu.
Dr Onu was a gentleman par excellence, a patriotic and detribalised Nigerian who served the nation in different capacities. His contributions to our educational growth as a lecturer and author remain commendable.
Dr Onu was a leader who stood for peace and progress of the nation. He pursued justice and courageously stood up for equity and good governance. He was committed to the development of the nation.
As one who understood the critical need to move our nation from consumption to production, he pursued many initiatives to boost local production for the development of the nation.
His death is, undoubtedly, a huge loss to the nation. May God console his family, and all of us who mourn him, and grant us the fortitude to bear his sad irreplaceable loss. May God grant him eternal rest. -PO
Dr Okezie Ikpeazu wrote;
“Dr Onu was an astute academic and administrator. He was calm, gentle and never play politics with bitterness.
After his service in the State, he would go on to the national stage where he held different positions wherein he left legacies of honor and patriotism. His death has left a big vaccum in our political space.
“Perhaps, the greatest political legacy for which Dr Onu will be remembered is that he played politics with integrity and remained very consistent in his ideologies. Whether in the ruling party or in the opposition, he remained resolute to his ideals”.
I pray God to accept his gentle soul and comfort his family and the entire people of the old Abia State.