Lalong, Duke, Ayade, others mourn late Cross River speaker

Over forty personalities including serving and ex-governors, former speakers of State Houses of Assemblies, National Assembly members, and top government officials, on Friday attended the valedictory session of the late Cross River lawmaker, Hon. Mike Ogar, in Calabar, the state capital.

Plateau State governor and Chairman of Northern Governor’s Forum, Governor Simon Lalong, disclosed that many speakers of states Houses of Assembly were abandoned by their governors during the struggle for legislative and judiciary autonomy but late Mike Ogar stood firm.

Lalong who doubles as Chairman of Former Speakers of State Houses of Assembly Conference said the demise of the respected and loving personality was no doubt a tremendous loss to the immediate family and the entire people of Cross River State and the entire country.

“As a public servant, he did his best to promote good governance, democracy, and development at times. Little wonder, his tenure as speaker of the Cross River State House of Assembly was very productive as he worked hard to ensure transformation of the state,” Lalong said.

According to the Plateau governor, during his term in office, Ogar was a strong member of the Nigerian Speaker’s Forum and after office, the deceased remained an active member of the Conference of Former Speakers of House’s of Assembly in Nigeria.

The Speaker of the Cross River State House of Assembly, Eteng William, said Cross River State House of Assembly would always remember Ogar for the unique, purposeful and dynamic leadership, he introduced in the state legislature.

Eteng described the former lawmaker as fearless, transparent, honest, humble, and diligent.

Governor of the state, Ben Ayade, in his remarks described the late Ogar as a detribalised and highly committed son of Cross River State, who bestrode the political scene like a colossus.

The governor said the former speaker made robust contributions, to the legislative process and wielded a bond that ensured a harmonious working relationship between the executive and legislative arms of government in Cross River State.

According to Ayade, “today is a very sad day for our state, Mike Ogar at 63 is a very tender age, Mike was a system person.”

In his remarks, Cross River State’s former Governor, Donald Duke, said the late lawmaker, during his lifetime, exuded “more of political and public service acumen.”

 

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