Former Speaker of the House of Representatives during the Fourth Republic, Alhaji Ghali Umar Na’Abba is dead.
Na’Abba, 65, a native of Kano State, rose to prominence in 1999 when he assumed office in the House of Representatives following the resignation of Salisu Buhari due to certificate forgery.
Na’Abba, known for his political prowess, recently switched allegiance to the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) after departing from the ruling All Progressive Congress (APC).
Born into the family of Alhaji Umar Na’Abba in 1958, Na’Abba’s upbringing emphasized virtues such as hard work, entrepreneurship, and strong religious inclination.
Educated as a political scientist, Na’Abba obtained his bachelor’s degree in Political Science from Ahmadu Bello University in 1979. He further honed his expertise through a postgraduate program on Leadership and Good Governance at the Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University, in 2004. Na’Abba’s influence extended internationally as he chaired and presented papers at various conferences on politics, parliament, development, and good governance.
Before entering politics, Na’Abba contributed to his family’s businesses, engaging in importation, manufacturing, and publishing. He held key positions such as Managing Director of Manifold Limited and Director of Quick Prints Limited.
Na’Abba’s dynamic leadership style during his tenure as Speaker of the House earned him recognition and praise for his pursuit of legislative independence.
In acknowledgment of his remarkable contributions to politics, parliamentary independence, and democracy, Na’Abba received numerous awards from government bodies, civil society groups, labor organizations, students unions, private businesses, political associations, and foreign government agencies.