A former Minister of Labour and chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Musa Gwadabe, is dead.
Gwadabe, a former Secretary to the Kano State Government (SSG) under then Governor Audu Bako, died Wednesday morning in a Kano hospital at the age of 87 after a protracted illness.
His funeral prayer was held at his residence in Ado Madaka Road, off Maiduguri Road, Kano, led by the Chief Imam of Hotoro Juma’at Mosque, Malam Abdulhadi Hotoro.
He was buried at Tarauni Cemetery around 3pm.
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He is survived by two wives, 11 children and many grandchildren.
Dignitaries who attended the funeral rites included a former Speaker, Kano House of Assembly, Faruk Iya; Senator Abdulrahman Kawu Sumaila and Hamza Darma.
President Muhammadu Buhari, in a statement by his media aide, Malam Garba Shehu, condoled with the government and people of Kano State, family and the All Progressives Congress (APC) political family over the death of the “colossus in Kano politics”.
He said the death of Gwadabe had deprived the nation of one of its most remarkable political leaders.
“The late Musa Gwadabe was a complete gentleman. He was a smooth political operator and a very reliable ally with an unmatched record of support, leading to the emergence of the current APC administration and the incoming one.
‘‘I will not forget his tireless efforts to keep the party afloat during difficult times. That he died a few weeks ahead of the inauguration of the Tinubu/Shettima administration that he laboured so hard to bring about, is one of the ironies of life. May Allah repose his soul,” President Buhari said.
Also, Governor Abdullahi Umar Ganduje in a statement issued by his Chief Press Secretary, Abba Anwar, described Gwadabe’s death as a disturbing experience.
“His love for his people created a corridor for him to be so endeared to his people, both in the state and in the country at large.
“One of the leading political leaders who stood for the downtrodden ones, the loss is not for his family or the state alone, it is for the entire political class and democracy at large,” the governor said.
Also in a statement, the former Director of Military Intelligence, retired Brigadier-General Halliru Akilu, described him as an accomplished public servant, a teacher, a prominent politician and an outstanding statesman who stood for the aspirations of his community at all times.
The Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF) in a statement by the publicity secretary, Kano State chapter, Bello Sani Galadanchi, prayed to Allah to grant the deceased Aljannah, and his family the fortitude to bear the loss.
On his part, the state governor-elect, Abba Kabir Yusuf, in a statement, described the passing of the Kano elder statesman as a painful loss to the state at a time the leadership needed invaluable counsel.
By Muideen Olaniyi (Abuja) & Salim Umar Ibrahim (Kano)
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