Senator representing Cross River North senatorial district, Mr Agom Jarigbe Agom has explained why Cross River State Governor, Bassey Otu did not receive the remains of the Ex-Senate President, Joseph Wayas on Wednesday in Abuja.
NewsNGR exclusively reported that the remains of the Second Republic president of the senate was brought to Nigeria on board British Airways flight on Wednesday morning at 4am.
Wayas died in December 2021 in the UK and plans for burial failed over what family sources said was “lack of funds” despite a committee ex-governor, Mr Ben Ayade set up for the burial rites.
Some committee members left, blaming lack of funding, leaving the family in limbo.
However, arrangements to return his remains for burial kicked off a few months ago following a series of outcries by family members and some notable leaders in the northern senatorial zone, where the late senate president held from.
But as the remains arrived, the state governor was missing and no government official was on hand to receive the corpse, which was received by Senator Jarigbe, member representing Obanliku/Bekwarra/Obudu federal constituency, Hon Peter Akpanke, Dr Dorncklaimz Enamhe, Convener of Who Is Who In Northern Cross River amongst others, who joined family members at the airport.
The corpse was driven away on a white SUV to the National Hospital Abuja draped with Nigeria’s national colour, the green white green on videos shared with NewsNGR by a source who was in the team that received the corpse.
While the spokesman of the governor, Ukoha Ukoha could not immediately confirm why his principal was not at the airport to receive the remains, Jarigbe told NewsNGR via a telephone conversation that the governor arrived Abuja late on Tuesday and could not join the early morning party to the airport.
The Senator had earlier confirmed the development in an exclusive chat with NewsNGR saying, “The body is in. Confirmed.”
Some hours later, Senator Jarigbe explained that Governor Otu was aware of every arrangement saying, “We actually got his permission” to receive the corpse at the airport.
“He got back, he slept late on Tuesday night and could not come to the airport by 5am. We are even briefing him minute by minute.”
The senator further informed that “the date for the funeral is left for the governor. You know it’s a state funeral. It’s the governor that will decide on that.
“We are here to see the governor as we speak. We just left the house of the late senate president – we just left the wife and other members of the family,” the senator added.
Late Wayas was Senate President in the Second Republic between 1979 and 1983, and died in December 2021.