EZREL TABIOWO recounts the tragic losses that have hit the seventh senate with Senator Dahiru Kuta as the latest casualty
Dantong (February 20, 1959 – July 8, 2012)
Just weeks after the end of the first legislative year of the seventh Senate, the upper chamber of the National Assembly was thrown into a state of mourning when the cold hands of death snatched one of its serving members, Senator Gyang Dantong, on July 8, 2012.
Senator Dantong, alongside the then majority leader of the Plateau State House of Assembly, Hon. Gyang Fulani, both died of exhaustion at Maseh village in Riyom LGA while attempting to flee from gunmen who stormed the venue of a mass burial for over 50 victims of attack they had attended.
Born on February 20, 1959, Datong became a member of the Senate in 2007 and until his death was the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Health.
Recalling the last moments of the fateful day, Hon. Daniel Dem representing Riyom Constituency in the Plateau State House of Assembly, said: “We were all there together at the mass burial for 64 victims. There were three mass graves, two in Barkin Ladi and one in Riyom Local Government Area, which is my constituency. We decided to start with mine before going to those of Barkin Ladi. The original time of the mass burial had to be extended because the local rescue”
While recalling the confusion that trailed the burial of the victims, the state lawmaker also said: “all of a sudden, the gunmen started jumping down from the mountains. The sight of the attackers caused people to begin to flee; everyone had to run as far as your legs could take you. The running caused serious stampede because the security agents that were among us were also running for their dear lives. We thought they would face the gunmen and repel them but they fled and you can imagine the stampede.
“It was after we ran for about two kilometres that my colleague, Hon Gyang Fulani, collapsed. Not very far from that place, we saw Senator Dantong on the ground; the same thing with Hon Mwadkwon. The rest of us were trying to revive them one after the other, but my distinguished senator could not make it, just as Hon Fulani. We got a vehicle and rushed them to the hospital but it was already late, the damage had been done. I could not belief what I saw with my eyes.”
Ewherido (April 4, 1963 – June 30, 2013)
In another shocking development that would deal the Senate a severe blow coming a year after Dantong’s demise, another colleague of his, Senator Pius Ewherido similarly passed on June 30, 2013.
Ewherido died at 50, while receiving emergency medical attention at the National Hospital, preparatory to being flown abroad. The first term senator, representing Delta Central Senatorial District on the Democratic Peoples’ Party (DPP) platform, was until his death the vice chairman Senate committee on Marine Transport, and also a member of the committee on Trade and Investment.
Born on April 4, 1963, in Ughelli, Delta State, the late lawmaker held a Bachelors of Arts (Philosophy) and Bachelor of Law from the Universities of Ife and Benin, respectively. His political journey began when he joined the United Nigerian Congress Party (UNCP) in the Third Republic. After the transition to democracy was aborted by the late General Sani Abacha, he left politics and returned to business. In 1998, he joined the PDP and in April 1999 elected to represent the Ughelli South constituency in the Delta State House of Assembly where he was elected deputy speaker. He was later to become leader of the state legislature. The lawyer was re-elected in April 2003, and was again deputy speaker of the same legislature from May 2003 until May 2007.
The lawmaker had in 2006 taken a shot at the gubernatorial seat on the platform of the PDP but lost out in the primaries. After being a state lawmaker, Ewherido left the PDP in order to compete for the Delta Central senatorial seat on the platform of the DPP.
In the DPP primary election, he was elected the candidate by a narrow margin, winning 125 votes to his opponent’s 108. He then went ahead to contest the Delta Central Senatorial seat in the April 2011 National Assembly elections which he won by 102,313 votes, ahead of Amori Ighoyota of the PDP who gained 85,365 votes.
Awaisu Kuta (16 April 1949 – 12 June 2014)
And not long again, the Senate was into another round of mourning which is fast becoming an annual ritual, with the passing away of another serving lawmaker, Senator Dahiru Awaisu Kuta, whose news of demise dominated Nigeria’s social media last week.
President of the Senate, Senator David Mark who wept over the death of the late chairman, Senate Committee on Federal Character, in a statement issued in Abuja lamented that the cold hand of death had robbed the Senate and indeed the nation of a brilliant, vibrant and result-oriented Lawmaker who distinguished himself in all ramifications.
Senator Kuta who until his death represented Niger East Senatorial district in the National Assembly on the PDP platform, was said to have died at the Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH) in the early hours of last Thursday. He passed on at Lagos on his way to London for medical attention.
Lamenting the loss, Mark said: “Senator Kuta was a forefront parliamentarian. His views and positions unarguably represented those of the ordinary Nigerian. Indeed he stood for the masses. That was why he enjoyed the sobriquet of ‘comrade senator’ on the floor of the Red chamber.
“His death has no doubt created a vacuum. We shall miss his humour. We shall miss his frank, honest and patriotism. He was a rare gem.
“Senator Kuta’s easy and calm disposition endears him to all. He was a good mixer and everybody saw in him a true friend. He was just a pleasant fellow.”
Born 16 April 1949, Senator Kuta was elected senator on the PDP platform to represent Niger East constituency of Niger state, and took office on 29 May 2007.
The lawmaker obtained a BA in History, Graduate Certificate in Education and Post graduate Diploma in Public Administration. Before becoming a federal lawmaker, Kuta in 1983 was elected to the Niger State House of Assembly, where he became minority whip.
In 1993, he was elected to the House of Representatives and was appointed Chairman of the House Committee on Rules and Business. Much later, he emerged national deputy director of administration at the PDP Headquarters, and Secretary to the Government of Niger State.
Kuta won the 2007 PDP primary election for Niger East, defeating his late brother Ibrahim Kuta. Until his death, he was the Senate Committee Chairman on Federal Character. Though natural, but the gale of death currently hitting the Senate of recent is one too many.
While one sympathises with the Senate over the loss of some of its members, it is instructive to state here that the nation’s medical system to meet the emerging challenges. Medical tourism must stop.
