Senate President, Godswill Akpabio on Saturday recounted how he encouraged late Senator Barinada Mpigi to urgently seek medical attention abroad when he observed his failing health.
Akpabio spoke at the funeral church service at St. Cyprian Anglican Church, Koroma Deanery in Tai Local Government Area held in honor of the late Sen. Mpigi, who represented Rivers South East at the Senate.
According to the Senate president, Sen. Mpigi was fond of always asking after the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister, Nyesom Wike each time both of them met at the Senate chambers.
He said on one of such occasion, Sen. Mpigi met him and when they shook hands, he informed him that he just arrived from Port Harcourt where he went for some medical checks and showed him the result of the tests.
Akpabio said that what he saw frightened him and he promptly asked the late senator to urgently travel abroad for a thorough medical attention.
“Then the senator’s wife was in Lagos, so I quickly called her to travel from Lagos and join the husband abroad”, Akpabio recounted.
He expressed sadness that after everything, death still snatched the senator away.
Akpabio, who described Sen..Mpigi as a hardworking lawmaker said he represented the people of Rivers South East very well at the National Assembly, adding that the National Assembly will miss him sorely.
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He announced that the Senate will fix a special tribute session to honour the late senator in line with the tradition of the upper chamber.
Earlier in his homily, Bishop of the Anglican Diocese of Ogoni, Solomon Gberegbara urged the congregation to make a firm decision to follow Jesus, stressing that nothing on earth is permanent .
The bishop described Sen. Mpigi as a man of honor and a philanthropist adding that he single handedly built the cathedral where the funeral church service took place.
The occasion attracted many National Assembly members, ministers and other dignitaries both within and outside Rivers State.
