Dignitaries on Monday stormed the Presidential Wing of the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, in honour of the late former Vice President, Dr. Alex Ekwueme.
A Parade of Honour was held at the Presidential Wing of the airport in honour of the deceased.
Ekwueme died in London in December 2017.
The Nigerian Police Force led the Parade of Honour at the brief ceremony.
Vice President Yemi Osinbajo said Ekwueme was committed to selfless service to the nation, West Africa, Africa and the world at large.
The deceased, he noted, had timeless ideals of integrity, loyalty and kindness to all.
He was optimistic that the vision and sacrifice of the late Ekwueme for the nation would not be in vain.
Osinbajo said: “As we receive the body of the first elected Vice President of Nigeria, Dr. Alex Ekwueme (GCON), this morning, we are reminded of his selfless service to nation, to our region, to Africa and indeed the world.
“We are reminded of his commitment to the timeless ideals of integrity, loyalty and kindness to all.
“We thank the almighty God for giving us 85 glorious years of Dr. Alex Ekwueme.
“When he was asked what his vision was for the county, he said, ‘I will want to see Nigeria to be a nation and not just a country.’
“Those words tell us how committed he was to the unity of this country and I pray that in death and as we remember him, that this will not only encourage us but also cement the relationship between all of the people and nationalities of this country, so that we become and remain one.
“We thank the almighty God for his family and for all of us who he left behind and we pray that his great wishes for this nation and all that he sacrificed for will not be in vain.”
Among those present at the event were – the Senate President, Bukola Saraki, Speaker of the House of the Representatives, Yakubu Dogara and Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu.
Others were – Deputy Governor of Anambra State, Nkem Okeke, representative of Former President Shehu Shagari, Hon. Aminu Shagari and Senator Andy Uba, who represented Ekwueme’s constituency in the Senate.