Former Governor of old Gongola State and ex-National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Alhaji Dr. Bamanga Tukur, the Tafida Adamawa is dead.
He died on Friday September 11 in Abuja. He was aged 90 years.
This was contained in a statement released in Abuja Saturday by his former media aide, Chief Oliver Okpala, with the approval of Tukur’s first son, Rt. Hon. Awwal Tukur, and first daughter, Lami.
Tulur died at about 12 noon Friday, two days to his 91st birthday.
in his residence on Adetokunbo Ademola Street, Wuse 2, Abuja.
Chief Okpala said the body of the deceased would be flown to Adamawa State immediately for burial in accordance with Islamic rites and injunctions.
Sympathizers, close relations and political associates have already thronged his Abuja residence to pay their last respects to the departed who is one of Nigeria’s heroes of democracy.
Reacting to his father’s death, his eldest son, Rt. Hon. Awwal Tukur, who is also Secretary to Adamawa State Government, said it happened according to the will of Almighty Allah, the Most Merciful.
According to him, the family would take consolation in the exemplary life their father lived and the monumental legacies he bequeathed to posterity.
In his lifetime, he said, Alhaji Bamanga Tukur distinguished himself as an investor, entrepreneur and technocrat with ownership of multiple business conglomerates to his credit.
He made history as the first African to address the United Nations General Assembly in New York as a private individual, and later served as Chairman of the African Business Roundtable, (ABR).
In public service, Dr. Tukur served as Managing Director and later Chairman of the Nigerian Ports Authority, (NPA) while under his leadership, most of the ports currently serving Nigeria were built.
Tulur was elected Governor of old Gongola State, (now Adamawa and Taraba States), and also served as a Federal Minister.
He later became National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, (PDP), where he was credited with bringing sanity, progress and electoral victories to the party.
He is survived by children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
By his death the family, noted, Nigeria has lost a teacher of politics, governance and business.
late Alhaji Bamanga Tukur
