Politicians Gather at Abuja Airport as Senator Akwashiki’s Body Returns from India

The Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja became a focal point of grief on Monday as the remains of Senator Godiya Akwashiki arrived in Nigeria from India. The lawmaker, who represented Nasarawa North under the Social Democratic Party (SDP), passed away last Wednesday, December 31, 2025, in an Indian hospital following a protracted battle with an undisclosed illness. At just 52 years old, his death has sent shockwaves through the political establishment of both his home state and the nation’s capital.

A somber delegation of high-ranking political figures gathered at the airport’s cargo terminal to receive the casket. Among the prominent mourners were the acting National Chairman of the SDP, Professor Sadiq Gombe, and the party’s former presidential flagbearer, Prince Adewole Adebayo. They were joined by the former Governor of Nasarawa State, Senator Umaru Tanko Al-Makura, and the Chairman of the House Committee on Solid Minerals, Hon. Jonathan Gaza Gbefwi. The presence of Labaran Maku, a former Minister of Information, further highlighted the cross-party respect the late senator commanded.

Despite the heavy turnout of political veterans, the absence of the Senate leadership was strikingly evident. Neither Senate President Godswill Akpabio nor other top-ranking members of the Red Chamber were present at the terminal to honor their deceased colleague. When questioned about the lack of sitting senators at the arrival, Professor Gombe attributed the absence to the current legislative recess. He described the situation as devastating for the family, emphasizing that Akwashiki was a pillar of the SDP and a dedicated servant of his constituents.

Prince Adewole Adebayo echoed these sentiments, describing the late senator as a “great man” whose loss would be felt deeply across the entire political spectrum. He noted that for a party like the SDP, which boasts a limited number of seats in the National Assembly, the passing of a serving senator represents a significant institutional blow. Adebayo emphasized that Akwashiki’s influence extended far beyond the walls of the Senate, touching the lives of many at the grassroots level in Nasarawa North.

Akwashiki’s political journey was one of remarkable consistency and resilience. Before his elevation to the Senate in 2019, he served as the Majority Leader and later the Deputy Speaker of the Nasarawa State House of Assembly. He made history by becoming the first senator from his district to secure two consecutive terms, a feat that cemented his reputation as a grassroots mobilizer. His defection from the All Progressives Congress (APC) to the SDP ahead of the 2023 elections did little to dim his popularity, as he comfortably retained his seat.

As the hearse departed the airport for the morgue, the conversation among the gathered politicians shifted toward the vacuum his death has created in the 10th National Assembly. Colleagues described him as a “parliamentarian par excellence” who was deeply committed to youth empowerment and rural infrastructure. The Eggon nation, of which he was a prominent son, has also been plunged into mourning, with community leaders describing his death as the exit of a visionary who brought the dividends of democracy to his people’s doorsteps.

Burial arrangements are expected to be announced by the family in the coming days, with many anticipating a state funeral in Nasarawa. For now, the focus remains on the grieving family he left behind and a constituency that must now prepare for a future without their record-breaking representative. As the sun sets on the career of the man from Angba Iggah, his colleagues insist that his legislative footprints will remain etched in the history of the Nigerian parliament.