The Senate has mourned the passing on of former Vice President Alex Ekweme, and sent a delegation to condole with the family, the state government and the people of Anambra State.

The upper chamber also called on Federal Government to immediately name the Federal Polytechnic, Oko and other Federal assets after him.

This followed a point of order raised by Deputy Senate President, Senator Ike Ekweremadu, during the plenary on Tuesday, on Ekwueme's death, whom he said was an intellectual giant who had lived an exemplary life worthy of emulation.

In his statement, Senate President Bukola Saraki said Ekwueme's death was a loss for the country, saying that the deceased was a detribalised Nigerian that put Nigeria first and showed loyalty to the former government headed by Shehu Shagari.

“Ekwueme stands out to be a unique public figure and adjudged to be incorruptible because he left government poorer,” Senator James Manager said.

Deputy Senate Leader, Senator Ibn Na’Allah said: “Three weeks ago, I and my colleagues met Alex Ekwueme at the international airport on his way to Enugu and waited for almost two hours to board his flight. Alex can be described as a single Nigerian despite being from an Igbo extraction.”

Also lending his voice, Senator Eyinnaya Abaribe stressed that “in 1999 he ran under PDP (Peoples Democratic Party) and on losing the primary election, he did not threaten to tear PDP apart or say there is no democracy.

“Ekwueme’s lifestyle shows that Nigeria is not lacking in men that we can count on.”

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