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Former Speaker of Nigeria’s House of Representatives during the short-lived Third Republic, Chief Agunwa Anaekwe, has passed away at the age of 68.
Chief Anaekwe, who hailed from Adazi in Anaocha Local Government Area of Anambra State, died on Saturday.
A distinguished alumnus of Christ the King College, Onitsha, he proceeded to earn a law degree from the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN), Enugu campus. He rose to national prominence when he assumed office as Speaker of the House of Representatives on December 5, 1992. His tenure, however, was cut short less than a year later following General Sani Abacha’s coup on November 17, 1993, which dissolved Chief Ernest Shonekan’s Interim National Government.
Following his exit from the House, Anaekwe stepped back from frontline politics for a time before aligning with the All Progressives Congress (APC) after its formation, remaining a member until his death. He was the second individual from Anambra State to hold the position of House Speaker, following the late Chief Edwin Ume-Ezeoke, who served between 1979 and 1983.
Not long ago, he led a delegation of National Assembly officers to meet President Bola Tinubu to discuss pressing national issues.
Reacting to his death, former Minister of Labour and Employment, Dr Chris Ngige, described Chief Anaekwe’s passing as the fall of a towering political iroko in Igbo land and Nigeria at large, expressing profound grief over the loss of his long-time friend.
The former Governor of Anambra State, in his tribute, said: Part of the statement read: “Late Agunwa was my friend, trusted political ally, who aligned himself with progressive politics since he joined partisan politics in 1991 through the defunct Social Democratic Party (SDP) emerging the Speaker of the House in a keenly contested Speakership race between the SDP and the opposition National Republican Convention (NRC).
“He steered the House with a lot of dexterity, wisdom and patience, a situation that saw the House having more stability than its Senate counterpart before the military led by General Sani Abacha struck on November 17, 1993, after the annulment of the presidential election won by MKO Abiola of the SDP.
“He lost his seat when all the democratic structures were pulled down by Gen Abacha. He took the situation with equanimity but still joined us and the then former Anambra Governor, Chukwemeka Ezeife in the fight for the restoration of democracy…”
“At the inception of the Third Republic, he joined us in the vanguard of Dr Alex Ekwueme’s alliance that went to form the Eastern flank of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). He contested the controversial gubernatorial election of December 1998, and even though he didn’t make it, he accepted the results in good faith. And while some others were going to the party’s appeal panel and court, he joined us to deliver the then guber candidate, Chinwoke Mbadinuju of blessed memory.
“When I emerged the guber candidate of the party in 2003, Ide Agunwa was the Battalion Commander of the foot soldiers who worked in Anaocha and Njikoka local governments. He showed palpable presence in the elections, producing advantageous outcomes.
“As Governor, he stood with me in the fight to behead the god-fathers that held Anambra hostage under Gov Mbadinuju resulting in ‘years of the locusts’ situation with unpaid salaries and gratuities for workers, teachers resulting in closure of schools for one academic session; a situation we quickly reversed with restoration of payment of salaries and gratuities as and when due.
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“Ide was one of the Governor’s Advisory Committee of Elders. We were allies again in the formation of Action Congress (AC) in 2006 and in my absence overseas, after my removal by the court, he stepped in and stood in as the first interim Chairman of the AC, Anambra chapter, holding forte till I came back and we ran the Presidential and controversial 2007 gubernatorial elections which was later nullified by the Supreme Court to enable Governor Peter Obi finish his four years term.
“Ide Anaocha accepted to be an interim State Chairman because of his penchant for progressive politics. Even recently, having been a former Speaker of the House of Representatives, he stooped to be the APC Ex- Officio for South East zoned to Anambra State in the party’s 2022 National Convention order to give trusted, quality representation for the zone in the party’s National Executive Committee, despite his high status as a member of the National Caucus.
Ngige noted that Anaekwe’s passing has left a gaping void, one that would be difficult to fill given the scarcity of principled, honest, and accountable leaders in Nigeria’s turbulent political space.
Reflecting on his last moments with the late Speaker, Ngige recalled with deep nostalgia his visit in late March alongside Senator Osita Izunaso to Anaekwe’s Abuja residence after learning of his ill health and impending surgery.
“The warmth and joy he radiated that evening despite his health challenges lifted our spirits,” Ngige said. “Little did we know that death – the silent thief of the night – was lurking close by to take away our dear friend and brother, Ide Anaocha.”
He prayed for God’s comfort upon Anaekwe’s family, the people of Anambra State, and the nation at large, describing his death as a monumental loss. Ngige concluded with a prayer for his soul to find eternal rest.
