The Senate leadership, led by Godswill Akpabio, has reportedly neglected the family of the late Senator Ifeanyi Ubah, who represented Anambra South Senatorial District.
According to sources cited by SaharaReporters, the Senate leadership did not form a committee to coordinate with Ubah’s family or the national burial committee.
Additionally, there was no communication between the Senate leadership and the family or committee regarding burial arrangements for their late colleague.
Senator Ubah, who was re-elected to the 10th Senate in 2023 under the Young Progressives Party (YPP) before later joining the All Progressives Congress (APC), passed away in London on July 27. He was laid to rest on Friday in his hometown of Otolo Nnewi, Anambra State.
Notable figures at the burial included Labour Party presidential candidate Peter Obi, Senator Orji Uzor Kalu of Abia North, former Senate President Bukola Saraki, and Senator Victor Umeh of Anambra Central.
A source revealed that out of the nine Senators who attended the burial, only two were from outside the South-East region.
The source said: “Despite the eye service and pretences exhibited by the Senate President on Tuesday, 19th Nov during the Senate valedictory session for the late Senator Ifeanyi Ubah, the leadership of the Senate abandoned the late Senator Ifeanyi Ubah, their colleague who died as a serving Senator, despite being a member of their party, the ruling APC.
“The Senate leadership failed to set up a committee to liaise with the family or the National burial committee. The Senate leadership never contacted the burial committee or the family to make input in the preparation of their fallen colleague.
“They did not contribute a kobo to the committee throughout the preparation for the burial and the burial proper. Also, the Senate leadership never sent any delegation to Nnewi on 22nd November 2024 to mourn their departed colleague that died in active service.”
Another source corroborated this, adding that Senator Osita Ngwu’s attendance was due to his personal ties with the late Senator and the fact that his wife hails from Otolo Nnewi, Ubah’s hometown.
“Total of 9 Senators out of 109 Senators attended the burial namely Senator Abaribe Enyinnaya, Senator Osita Ngwu (Inlaw to Senator Ubah), Senator Izunaso, Senator Okey Ezea, Senator Victor Umeh, Senator Benson Agadaga, Senator Tony Nwoye, Senator Pam from Plateau and Senator Kelvin Chukwu,” the source revealed.
“It is worthy of note that 7 Senators out of the 9 Senators that attended the burial are from the South East; only 2 Senators outside South East attended namely Senator Pam from Plateau and Senator Agadaga from Bayelsa.”
“No single Senator from Yoruba extraction, North West and also North East attended the burial, while South South and North Central had only 1 Senator each,” another source added.
The source continued: “In the Christian parlance, the highest respect someone can pay a departed friend is to pay him last respect by attending the burial especially the burial mass/church service.
“What the Leadership of the Senate did to Senator Ifeanyi Ubah at death who they were dinning and enjoying with when he was alive leaves much to be desired and has exposed them as chamelonic fair weather friends.”
A family source confirmed that no financial contributions were made by the Senate leadership for the burial.
“During the Mass, no senator spoke in the church or on behalf of the Nigerian Senate as tradition demands,” the source noted.
Furthermore, the Senate President’s wife, who leads the Senators Wives Forum, did not send any delegation or condolence message to Ubah’s widow, Mrs. Uche Ubah.
Senator Ifeanyi Ubah, an APC stalwart, passed away in July while staying at a hotel in London. A valedictory session was held in his honor on Tuesday by the Senate.
Efforts by SaharaReporters to obtain a response from the Senate leadership were unsuccessful at the time of this report.