By SUNNY OKIM

Eminent leaders of thought, elder statesmen/ women and leaders of the civil society under the aegis of Project Nigeria Movement (PNM) have condoled with the family of one their late associates, Admiral Ndubuisi Kanu.

In a press statement issued Wednesday by the movement led by Elder statesman, Prof Ben Nwabueze SAN, signed by the national secretary, Olawale Okunniyi and made available toNews Express,PNMsaid the lateleader of the National Democratic Coalition, NADECO, who passed on earlier today in Lagos at 78 years of age after a brief illness, was a veteran of the struggle for the restoration of democracy in the country.

“Kanu, a Biafran war veteran, became a dogged pro-democracy activist upon his retirement from the military. As a staunch member of the National Democratic Coalition (NADECO) which spearheaded the struggle for the actualisation of the late Moshood Abiola’s annulled June 12, 1993 presidential mandate, Kanu was among those who signed an ultimatum for the General Sani Abacha regime to revalidate Abiola’s mandate and hand over power to him (Abiola),” said the statement.

“He was the chairman of NADECO’s Action Committee, which organised and participated in protest marches and public sensitisation against military dictatorship.

“Kanu, until his demise was also a frontline member of the apex of the Project Nigeria Movement, which has Eminent Jurist, Prof Ben Nwabueze, SAN as its chairman. The group was initiated to build national consensus and political stability for Nigeria through constitutional restructuring of Nigeria,” the statement added.

Other arrow heads of the senior citizens group, which is currently mourning the sudden exit of Kanu are Chief Emeka Anyaoku, Chief Ayo Adebanjo, Elder Solomon Asemota, SAN, General Ike Nwachukwu, Dr Kali Idika Kalu, Prof Akin Oyebode, Prof Pat Utomi, Commodore Dan Suleiman, among others.

“The active guidance of Kanu for the struggle to create a new democratic and prosperous Nigeria will be greatly missed by all leaders of conscience in the Project Nigeria Movement, NADECO and in the broad civil society constituency of Nigeria,” added the statement.