Former Governor of Delta State,Chief James Onanefe Ibori, on Sunday expressed sadness over the passing of Obi (Senator) Nosike Ikpo, a Second Republic Senator.

Ibori said, in a statement signed by his Media Assistant, Tony Eluemunor, that Ikpo stood out early in life, as the best pupil in standard six certificate examination at St Thomas Practicing School, Ibusa. He noted that, with his GCE O and A levels obtained as a private candidate, the Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC) employed Ikpo in I950 at Offa, as a Plant Boy.

“There, Ikpo began to contribute articles to the West African Pilot newspapers and he became an Under Secretary and later Secretary of the then Ibusa Union in I95I. He resigned in I954 for politics, and became Organizing Secretary of the NCNC. He left the NCNC in I958 for the Action Group, becoming the Asaba Divisional Organizing Secretary.

“In 1961 Ikpo became Mid-West regional Principal Administrative Secretary of the AG and was a Defence Witness during the Chief Obafemi Awolowo’s famous treasonable felony trial.”

Professionally, he was also between I964 and the early I970s the Midwest sales representative of Longmans Nigeria Plc, covering Ondo Province.

Ikpo was a two-time Senator; for the UPN in 1979 and was re-elected as a National Party of Nigeria (NPN) member in 1983.

“Ikpo will be remembered as a trail-blazer, a leader of Izu Anioma and a father figure in Delta State” Ibori said as he sent his condolences to Ikpo’s family and Delta State.