The Abia State governorship candidate of All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) in the 2023 general elections, Prof Gregory Ibe, has lamented the death of former Senator Annie Okonkwo.
Speaking in reaction to the recent announcement of the death of Senator Okonkwo, who represented Anambra Central Senatorial Zone in the National Assembly between 2007 and 2011, Prof Ibe bemoaned the untimely lose of the foremost industrialist turned politician.
According to Prof Ibe,” I received with rude shock sad news conveying the unexpected death of my brother Senator Annie Okonkwo.It was really heartbreaking and devastating to come to terms with the horrifying reality of the death of Agunnaechemba, as we fondly called him. Without any doubt, the unfortunate situation portends a colossal lose first to the Okonkwo family of Ojoto town in Idemili North LGA of Anambra state, the business community and the Nigerian political fraternity at large”.
Continuing he said, ” I am still in a state of shock and bewilderment, especially in view of the fact that we just celebrated his 63rd birthday on the 23rd of May, only to hear of his death two weeks later, but we cannot question God”.
While commiserating with members of the deceased family, Prof Ibe enjoined both federal and Anambra state governments to immortalize the former senator by naming some public edifices after him.
In his words, ” It is therefore against the backdrop of abundance of impactful legacies bequeathed to humanity by the former senator that I encourage the Okonkwo family to bear his death with equanimity, while requesting both federal and Anambra state governments to take steps to immortalize his memory by naming a strategic public edifice after him”.
According to a family source, Senator Okonkwo died in the United States of America after a prolonged illness.
