Abia: Shock, disbelief trail  APC National Welfare Secretary ‘s death

… party, Emenike, Ahiwe, others condole family.

From Boniface Okoro, Umuahia

Shock and disbelief have continued to trail the sudden death of All Progressives Congress (APC) National Welfare Secretary, Barr. Friday Nwanozie Nwosu, who died in Abuja last Thursday, after a brief illness.

News of Nwosu’s death, which hit the streets on Friday, struck Abians, including friends and foes, like thunderbolt, as expressed in the deluge of condolence messages to the bereaved Nwosu family.

A death notification authored by Pastor Chibuzo Nwosu on behalf of the Nwosu Family, explained that their father passed away after a brief illness, describing his death as “shocking” and “a deep cut.”

“It is indeed a deep cut!,” Pastor Chibuzo cried, as he wrote: “With a sense of Loss and pain but with unquestionable submission to the Almighty God that we regret to announce the death of our Dearly beloved Father, Husband, Uncle and Brother, the National Welfare Secretary of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Chief Sir F. N. Nwosu (KSM) Who’s shocking death occurred Yesterday beinn the 9th of March, 2023, after a very brief illness.”

He said the public would be briefed further in due time on the burial arrangements of the late legal icon who was reportedly sick and his doctors discharged him on Wednesday, according to the family. He reportedly returned to the hospital on Thursday for a check but died. The late Nwosu hailed from Mgboko Umuoria in Obingwa Local Government Area of Abia State.

The APC also confirmed Nwosu’s death last Thursday night. In a tweet through its official Twitter handle, the party wrote: “Words are not enough to describe the monumental loss brought by the passing of the Party’s National Welfare Secretary, Sir Friday Nwanozie Nwosu on the APC family. May his soul rest in peace.”

Nwosu, a political tactician and legal luminary of repute, by his membership of the APC National Working Committee (NWC), a position he won in March 2022, conferred on him, the status of the highest ranking member of APC in Abia. He had been in active politics for decades and had been a governorship aspirant on two occasions in PDP and APC, respectively.

He was popularly known as “Ikpeghe ebeghi” which literally translates to money cannot buy his conscience. The name stuck to him, leading to his formation of a political movement known as Ikpeghe Ebeghi Nationalist Movement, to fight bad governance in Abia.

Nwosu took the Abia political landscape by storm when, in 2015 when he joined in the race for the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship ticket, alongside his Obingwa kinsman and incumbent Governor, Dr. Okezie Ikpeazu.

When he failed to clinch the PDP governorship ticket, he embarked on protracted legal battle with the party and Ikpeazu who won the guber primary, which, in the end, did not yield the ticket to him (Nwosu) but he had made a very strong statement that he was not a push over.

As a legal practitioner of repute, Nwosu won very high-profile cases in the superior courts in Nigeria and his versatility, experience and dexterity in litigation and astute advocacy helped two State Governors to retain their seats even when their cases looked helpless.

In APC which he joined in 2018 and also contested for the governorship ticket in 2019, late Nwosu was a pillar in the Abia State chapter and a close ally of its 2023 Governorship Candidate, High Chief Ikechi Emenike.

The shocking news of the demise of Chief Nwosu jolted both the entire Abia APC family and Emenike, throwing them into deep sorrow and grief.

Reacting to the eternal passage of the Abia-born member of the APC’s NWC, the Abia APC governorship candidate said that the party has lost “a very strong pillar in the state.”

Emenike described Nwosu’s death as “a personal loss,” adding that he was “a highly dependable ally, trusted friend and a straightforward politician, not given to equivocation.”

Emenike, who has been in mournful mood since he received the sad news, further stated that Abia “has lost a great son, who lived, desired, worked and fought for the progress of God’s own state.”

“Chief Friday Nwosu was among the crop of Abians with genuine concern about the rot in Abia and was at the vanguard of the ongoing efforts of APC to Rescue and Develop Abia (RADA).

He noted that what Nwosu stood and fought for would be eventually realised to his eternal memory and fulfillment for those that shared his vision for a better Abia.

The APC governorship hopeful offered his heartfelt condolences to the family of F.N.Nwosu and urged them to bear the huge loss with fortitude. 

Similarly, the governorship candidate of Abia PDP, Chief Okey Ahiwe, has commiserated with the family of  the deceased over the death of  the lawyer.

“It is a big loss to his family, Ngwa people, his associates, and the nation,” Ahiwe said in a statement in Umuahia. “I am sad to learn of his departure at a point he was on the ascendancy in his contribution to national politics. He was known for his simplicity. He would say his mind,” Ahiwe added and urged the family to take consolation in the contributions that their departed father made and prayed for the repose of his soul

Also, the Abia State Coordinator of Tinubu/Shettima Women Campaign Council, and Director- Parliamentarian/ South East, Sen. Nkechi Nwaogu, has commiserated with the deceased’s family.

Nwaogu in her condolence message, said: “The news of the demise of Barr. Sir Friday Nwosu today is very devastating. It’s news one would wish to be fake and from the handiwork of an enemy but, nay, it’s true. Oh! Ikpeghe ebeghi, as you’re popularly called, may God grant your soul eternal peace.”

According to the Senator who represented Abia Central between 2007 and 2015, “Chief FN Nwosu is a legal luminary of repute who won very high-profile cases in the courts in Nigeria.”

She said that she was in pains that Nwosu died at a time his service was highly needed in the party, state and country, in general.

Nwaogu prayed that God would grant the departed lawyer eternal rest; and his immediate family, friends and well wishers, the fortitude to bear this irreparable loss.