The former Anambra State Governor and the immediate past Minister of Labour and Employment, Dr Chris Ngige, has described the death of Senator Annie Okonkwo as a fall of an Iroko tree in the forest with an attendant huge loss to the business and Political firmament of Anambra State, the South East and Nigeria in general.
Senator Annie Okonkwo, a foremost industrialist who celebrated his 63rd birthday on May 23, 2023, represented Anambra Central senatorial district in the National Assembly on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in 2007.
He reportedly died in the United States, after a long battle with a terminal illness.
In a statement Ngige personally signed, he described the late senator as a very strong and dogged politician with whom he did many political battles/ contests, the most memorable being the three-cornered fight in 2011 for the Anambra Central Senate seat between himself, the late Senator and late Prof Dora Akunyili.
Ngige praised the late senator for his sportsmanship, saying: ”Even though I won and came to the 7th Senate Agunechemba congratulated me and promised not to go to court to contest my winning. He really did not go to court. So I became his successor and the loss did not affect our personal relationship.”
“Ngige extends his heartfelt condolences to the Okonkwo family of Iru- Ebenebe Ojoto where he holds the high chieftaincy title of Okaka and Agunechemba, Government and people of Anambra State and the Nigerian political and business community.