Governor Samuel Ortom of Benue state has expressed grief over the demise of second republic Speaker of the House of Representatives Speaker, Chief Benjamin Chaha.
Chief Press Secretary
Nathaniel Ikyur in a statement quoted the Governor to have lamented that the state lost a father figure in him.
Chief Chaha was Speaker of the House of Representatives in the short lived second term-tenure of President Shehu Shagari’s administration in 1983 which was overthrown in a military coup by General Muhammadu Buhari.
Governor Ortom in a tribute to the elder statesman, noted that “Chief Chaha was one of the pathfinders and father who nurtured and groomed the present generation of political leaders. He was a man who lived in humility and simplicity without affluence.”
He stated: ”In him (Chaha), Benue state has lost a father figure. We have lost a respected elder statesman who was always there to give wise counsel to the young ones. His death has created a huge vacuum for us.”
The Governor described him as a fine gentleman who practiced politics of inclusiveness without bitterness.
According to him, chief Chaha “will be remembered for his benevolence, humility and unwavering commitment to the ideals of nationhood.”
Governor Ortom pointed out that though the late Parliamentarian hailed from Benue state, “it is on record that as Speaker of the House of Representatives, he took the entire nation as his constituency and neither segregated nor discriminated against any one on account of tribe or religion.”
He prayed that the good Lord grant him eternal rest and give the immediate family the fortitude to bear the loss.