- Safiu Kehinde
Rivers State lawmaker, Senator Barinada Mpigi, has died at the age of 64.
Mpigi, who represented the Rivers South-East Senatorial District in the 10th National Assembly, reportedly passed away on Thursday after a brief illness.
Until his death, the lawmaker served as Chairman of the Senate Committee on Works.
He played a key role in legislative oversight of federal road infrastructure and other public works projects.
According to reports, Mpigi began his federal legislative career in the House of Representatives, where he served two terms between 2011 and 2019, representing the Eleme/Tai/Oyigbo Federal Constituency.
He was first elected to the Senate in 2019 and re-elected in 2023, consolidating his influence within national politics.
A long-time member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), he was widely regarded as a strong voice in Rivers politics, particularly on infrastructure development and constituency empowerment initiatives.
Meanwhile, there were growing speculations on his possible defection to the All Progressives Congress, (APC).
The speculations however failed to materialise, though he remained an influential figure across party lines.