A former Senate Leader, Ali Ndume, has said that he intentionally delayed the burial of his late friend and colleague, Ali Wakili, with the hope that he will come back to life. Premium Times reports

Until his death, Mr. Wakili represented Bauchi South senatorial district and served as chairman senate committee on poverty alleviation.

Mr. Wakili was buried at the Gudu cemetery Abuja on Saturday after his death at the early hours of the day.

While eulogizing Mr. Wakili at a valedictory service held in his honour on Wednesday, Mr. Ndume started by saying he shared similar characteristics with the late lawmaker.

“Ali Wakili was a hot-tempered person. As we share common name, we also share many things in common. He’s a year older so we always make issues from that. He had two wives, I have two wives; he has 10 children, I have 10 children; he has 5 grandchildren, I have 10. I was in the 7th senate, he’s in 8th. So, I use to tell him that I an older …”

Before he could complete his statement, Mr. Ndume broke into tears which lasted for seconds before he continued his speech.

He said that he deliberately delayed the burial of Mr. Wakili by instructing the Imam to postpone the burial until evening time with the hope that ”the dead will come back to life”. But it was so unfortunate that his friend did not resurrect.

“I deliberately told the Imam to delay his burial till after Asri (Muslim afternoon prayer held between 3:30 p.m. and 4:30p.m.) hoping something will happen. I remember (senator) Hope Uzodinma at the cemetery saying that we Muslims are in haste to bury the dead. That he may come back to life.

“I think we if we allow him time, something will happen, it didn’t happen and it will never happen. We should continue to pray for Ali Wakili.”