Former House of Representatives member and a member of the Governing Board, North East Development Commission, Hon. Sam Onuigbo has expressed sadness over the death of the first civilian governor of Abia State, Dr. Ogbonnaya Onu.
The former Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation died in Abuja on Thursday at the age of 72, a family source disclosed.
The politician and scholar died after a brief illness.
In his condolence message, Hon. Onuigbo who represented Ikwuano/Umuahia federal constituency of Abia State in the eighth and ninth House of Representatives said one can draw some consolation from the fact that late Onu was a consummate gentleman.
READ ALSO: Former Abia Governor, Ogbonnaya Onu Is Dead
He described Onu further as a man of integrity, a principled scholar, and a selfless servant of the people. “He will be sorely missed by all of us”, Onuigbo added.
“The news of the sudden death of the former Minister of Science, Technology, and Innovation, and first civilian Governor of Abia State, His Excellency Dr Ogbonnaya Onu CON, FNSE, FNSChE, FAEng, came to me as a huge shock”, he noted.
He added, “Yet we must find some consolation from the fact that he was a consummate gentleman, a man of integrity, a principled scholar, and a selfless servant of the people. He will be sorely missed by all of us.
“On behalf of myself, my family, and my supporters, I sympathize with his immediate family, the people of Ebonyi State, and Nigerians in general.”