Senator Ndume made the appeal on Tuesday, Nov. 19, during the valedictory session organised by the Senate in honour of the late senator.
Mr Ubah, a member of the All Progressives Congress (APC), died at the age of 52 in a London hospital after a brief illness in July.
Until his death, Mr Ubah was the chairperson of the Senate Committee on Petroleum Downstream. Kano South Senator Kawu Sumaila has since been appointed to replace him.
According to LIB, Senator Ndume, during the valedictory service, appealed to his colleagues to allow the late Mr Ubah’s widow replace her husband to continue the senator’s legacies.
He reminded his colleagues that some deceased senators were succeeded by their wives and relations, adding that others became members of the upper chamber under the influence of their husbands and fathers.
The former Senate Whip appealed that this should be extended to Mr Ubah’s widow.
“It happened before. Chuba Okadigbo was a great politician. When he died, years after, his wife, the widow Margery, sitting around here.
“Our first lady, Oluremi Tinubu, came to the Senate by the virtue of the people of Lagos and her husband who is the president who served two terms… They insisted that she should go for third term. In fact, she told me that her dream was to be a pastor.
“Abiru’s father was a great senator in 1979. Right here is Yar’Adua? Everybody knows Yar’Adua (Katsina Central Senator).
“Senator (Iyabo) Obasanjo, if you remember, is the daughter of General Obasanjo. Sitting in front of me is Dafinone, his father, was a great senator,” he said.
Ndume, therefore, appealed to his colleagues to support Mr Ubah’s wife in getting her late husband’s seat.
“Finally, Mr. President, my appeal to you and distinguished colleagues, his wife, fortunately, is 50 years or so, a wonderful wife. Let us support the family to have a spirit representative of Ifeanyi here in the chamber…”
