Senate Honours Late Senate President, Joseph Wayas, Three Years After His Death

•Tinubu seeks Senate nod for CCB, PSC nominees

Sunday Aborisade in Abuja

The Senate, yesterday, held a valedictory session for the late Senate President, Senator Joseph Wayas, three years after his passing.

The senate also resolved to participate fully in the burial of the ex-senate president and send a condolence letter to commiserate with the family, the people of his constituency, and the government of his native Cross River State.

The upper chamber observed a minute’s silence in honour of Wayas.

Senators, during the session, paid tributes to the late senator, who died on November 30, 2021 at the age of 80.

He represented Calabar Senatorial District.

Senate Leader, Opeyemi Bamidele, read a motion titled, “Demise of Senator Joseph Wayas (2. M. 1943 3 November, 2021).”

Bamidele stated, “The Senate notes with shock, the demise of His Excellency, Senator Joseph Wayas, former Senate President of Nigeria in the Second Republic, who died on Tuesday, 30 November, 2021 at the age of 80.

“Notes that Senator Joseph Wayas was born in Basang, Obudu, Cross River State, on 21 May 1941 and attended Dennis Memorial Grammar School, Onitsha.

“He went to the United Kingdom, where he studied at the Higher Tottenham Technical College, London, the West Bromwich College of Commerce, Science and Technology, Birmingham, and Aston University.

“Returning to Nigeria, he worked as a manager or controller from 1960-1969 for several companies in Nigeria and the United Kingdom.

“Observes that he was a member of the Society of International Affairs at the Lincoln University, United States.

“Observes also that he joined the federal government in 1969-72. He was Commissioner for Transport, South-Eastern State, now Akwa Ibom and Cross River states, from 1972-74.

“Aware that with the transition to civil rule in 1979, Senator Joseph Wayas was elected to the Senate on the National Party of Nigeria (NPN) platform and appointed Senate President.

“He represented the Ogoja Senatorial District alongside Senator Joseph Oqua Ansa, who represented Calabar Senatorial District.

“Recalls that in the lead-up to the 1983 elections, Wayas was the leader of the NPN party’s ‘Lagos Group’ that supported a change of government in Cross River State, in opposition to the ‘Home Front’ led by the incumbent governor, Clement Isong.

“Senator Wayas left office along with other members of the Shagari administration following a coup on New Year’s Eve 1983, and went into exile. He returned in 1987 and was held in political detention, 1987-1988.”

Meanwhile, President Bola Tinubu wrote the senate, seeking the screening and confirmation of four nominees as members of the Police Service Commission (PSC).

The nominees were Deputy Inspector General of Police (DIG) Buba Ringim (rtd.); Hon. Justice Adamu Galumje JSC (rtd.); Christine Dabup; and Abdulfatah Muhammed.

The letter was read yesterday by President of the Senate, Senator Godswill Akpabio, during plenary.

Equally, yesterday, Tinubu wrote to the senate to seek the screening and confirmation of three nominees for appointment as members of Governing Board of the Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB).

The nominees were Fatai Ibikunle; Kennedy Ikpeme; and Justice Ibrahim Buba.

Akpabio read the letter during plenary.