Ghali Umar Na’Abba, the former Speaker of the House of Representatives, has passed away at the age of 65. The news was confirmed by his younger sister, Hussain Na’Abba. She mentioned that the former politician breathed his last at 3:00 am on Wednesday at the National Hospital in Abuja.
Na’Abba, who served as the 8th speaker of Nigeria’s House of Representatives, will be laid to rest in Kano later today, according to a family member.
Back in May 2020, during the COVID-19 pandemic, rumours about Na’Abba’s passing spread across social media. However, he was abroad in London at the time and clarified that these rumours were false.
Born on September 27, 1958, in Tudun Wada, Kano state, Na’Abba was a prominent figure in Nigerian politics. He held the position of House Speaker from 1999 to 2003 as a member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
His educational background included a bachelor’s degree in Political Science from Ahmadu Bello University in 1979. In 2004, he completed a postgraduate program on Leadership and Good Governance at Harvard University’s Kennedy School of Government in the United States.
Na’Abba’s tenure as Speaker came to an end in 2003 after he clashed with the presidency, leading to his unsuccessful re-election bid. He notably stood as a vocal opposition to President Olusegun Obasanjo during the latter’s presidency from 1999 to 2007.
In 2014, Na’Abba switched allegiance, moving from the PDP to the All Progressives Congress (APC). Until his passing, he remained active in politics and engaged in public commentary on various issues affecting the nation.
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