The President-elect, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, has expressed sadness over the passing of his long-term political associate and elder statesman, Malam Musa Gwadabe.
OsunDaily News earlier reported that Gwadabe, a former Minister of Labour and Productivity and one-time Secretary to the Government of Kano State died on Wednesday in Kano at 87.
In a statement released on Wednesday signed by his media aide, Abdulaziz Abdulaziz, the president-elect said Gwadabe was a selfless leader and a trustworthy political ally whose wise counsel and support he will dearly miss.
He said the deceased played pivotal roles in the transmutation of the Action Congress (AC) to the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) and the formation of the All Progressives Congress (APC).
Tinubu, who described Gwadabe’s loss as sorrowful and irreparable, expressed his condolences to the Gwadabe family and the people and government of Kano State over the loss.
He said, “I feel deeply saddened to learn of the passing of Alhaji Musa Gwadabe. A dependable ally and decent politician, Alhaji Gwadabe was a committed party man who did a lot to advance the fortunes of our All Progressives Congress.
“I have known Musa Gwadabe since our struggle against the military during the aborted Third Republic where we both belonged to the Social Democratic Party. We later reunited in the defunct Action Congress after he became disenchanted with the undemocratic practices of his former party, the PDP.
“Since rejoining the progressives’ camp, Alhaji Gwadabe stayed committed to the APC. He played pivotal roles in the transmutation of AC to ACN and the formation of APC in 2013. He was unwavering in his dedication to our party and its ideals.
“He was a principled politician who believed in politics of ideology. Even when other elements with whom he joined the AC invited him to jump the ship back to their former party, he honourably declined and chose to remain in the progressive fold.
“He was a selfless leader and a trustworthy political ally whose wise counsel and support I will dearly miss.”
