The Senate, yesterday, paid homage to the former House of Repressentatives Speaker in the aborted Third Republic, Chief Agunwa Anaekwe, who passed away on July 5, at the age of 68.

The Senate paid their last respect following a motion to honour the late Speaker, which was Senator Victor Umeh (LP Anambra Central) and co-sponsored by other prominent Senators including Orji Uzor Kalu (Abia North), Deputy President of the Senate, Barau Jibrin, Senate Chief Whip Mohammed Tahir Monguno (Borno North), Rufai Hanga (Kano Central), Ikra Aliyu Bilbis (Zamfara North) and others who served alongside Anaekwe in the National Assembly in 1992.

Senator Orji Uzor Kalu, who served under the late Speaker, described Anaekwe as a principled leader who bridged party divides and maintained strong relationships until his passing.

Kalu said: “I was a member of the House during that period and Agunwa Anaekwe was not just our Speaker but our leader and I will not fail to eulogise him. “He was a very good man and good Speaker.

Myself, Monguno and Rabiu were his close allies and deputies and we enjoyed working with him. But in life, everybody must die and something must kill a man.

“He is from Senator Umeh’s constituency and he is also a reasonable man because he belonged to the SDP and we belonged to the NRC, and now he died as a member of the APC which I belong to.

“I align myself with all Senator Victor Umeh has said, because Agunwa Anaekwe was also my in-law… may his soul rest in peace.”

Leading the motion, Umeh, who represents the late Speaker’s constituency, described Anaekwe as a courageous parliamentarian whose stand against military interference helped shape Nigeria’s democratic journey.