Former House of Reps speaker, Chaha, died a sad and broken man — ACF 

The Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF) has said a former Speaker of the House of Representatives, Benjamin Chana died a sad and broken man. 

This was contained in a statement issued by the National Publicity Secretary of ACF, Emmanuel Yawe on Thursday. 

According to the statement, the late speaker who hailed from Ukum Traditional Council in Benue State was a floor member of the House of Representatives in 1979 and rose to the position of Speaker House of Representatives in 1983. 

“With the death of Hon B. A. Chaha, former Speaker House of Representatives, the leadership of the Second Republic has become an endangered species,” the statement declared. 

ACF noted, “President Shehu Shagari is dead; Vice President Alex Ekwueme is gone; Senate president, Dr Joseph Wayas is dead; Speaker Emezueke is dead and now Benjamin Chaha.”

The statement maintained, “He was reported to be spotlessly honest, a fact that brought him to the attention of Shagari as he went in search of a new team to launch a war against corruption in his second term.  

“Sadly, the term lasted only three months. The government was overthrown by the army.  

“He returned to Zaki Biam, a town founded by his grandfather to live quietly with his people. He did that between 1984 – 2001. 

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“When some soldiers were reported killed by a militia based in the town, instead of looking for the militia, soldiers sent on revenge mission tried to assassinate  Hon B. A. Chaha. When they could not get him, they bombed his modest three-bedroom flat to smithereens. 

“Until his death yesterday, Hon B. A. Chaha kept wondering what he did wrong to warrant the kind of unkind treatment from a government he served without blame. 

“He could not understand why soldiers could brand him a militia and his age and position.

“The ACF is sad that Hon B. A. Chaha died a sad and broken man. His case is a perfect example of how not to treat an honest statesman.

“Untiĺl his death, Hon B. A. Chaha believed in the ideals of ACF and one strong north. Even the motion to make him Speaker in 1983 was moved by Hon Sidi H Ali, a Muslim from Kano.”