PDP to immortalise Ciroma, Ekwueme, others —Secondus

The National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Prince Uche Secondus,  has pledged that the party would immortalise the  late Adamu Ciroma, Alex Ekwueme, Solomon Lar and other founding fathers of the party now late,  for their immense contribution to the development of the nation’s democracy.

Prince Secondus disclosed this in Abuja on Saturday during an interactive session with newsmen when he led the delegation of the party on condolence visit to the family of the late Mallam Adamu Ciroma, a founding member of the party, who passed away on Thursday..

Extolling the roles of Ciroma’ and others in  the formation of the party, Secondus described him as an honest and disciplined nationalist.

Noting that the late former minister of finance and a one time governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, (CBN), played a vital role,  addressing challenges that the  party faced in the past, Secondus  said that he was a very straightforward man who had zero-tolerance for corruption

According to him, “among all the other leaders, late former Vice President Alex Ekwueme was a founding father and Adamu Ciroma was one of the pillars of the party behind the formation of what we know today as the largest political party in Africa

“By the grace of God something will be done to immortalise them. We will consult with other leaders but right now we are in a state of mourning, by the time we are through with it we will come out with something.”

Secondus, who stressed that the legacies of Ciroma would  continue to live after the deceased,  added that the party and the nation would  always remember him for good because “he contributed immensely to the development of the country and we have lost a great leader.”

“He believed in merit and equal rights and justice. He believed that all human beings are equal before God. We must all emulate him. We also ask those serving now and those that are yet to to emulate him because he was an embodiment of rule of law justice and human rights for all,” Secondus said.

On her part, wife of the late elderstatesman and former minister of women affairs, Hadjia Inna Ciroma, thanked the PDP family for coming to visit the family at their trying time. She was flanked by family members, friends and associates.

Speaking in the same vein, the Chairman of the PDP Board of Trustees (BoT), Senator Walid Jibrin, who was  on the delegation also exalted the virtues of the late Ciroma, adding that Nigeria had lost a great leader and quintessential elder statesman.

Besides members of the NWC members who accompanied the Secondus to Ciroma’s residence,  other PDP chieftains at the residence include former governor of Katsina State,  Ibrahim Shema, former Acting chairman of PDP, Halliru Bello Mohammed, former Senate president, Sen Adolphus Wabara.

Also the National leadership of the Social Democratic Party (SDP), led by former minister of information, Prof Jerry Gana and the National Secretary of the party,  Shehu Gabam, was also at the residence.