By Aideloje Ojo
Minna
Former Governor of Niger state and Rani Lapai, Engineer Abdulkadir Kure yesterday died in a German hospital at the age of 61 years.
Kure’s death filtered into Minna at about 5pm with associates and mourners rushing to his residence along Bosso road grieving his loss.
While the family was yet to issue public statement on the passage of the former governor, his close friends and associates took to social media to mourn and confirm the sad news.
Datijo Aliyu, a former commissioner that served in the administration of Kure, was the first to break the news in his facebook wall describing it as painful while Yahaha Mohd Usman posted “an iroko has fallen across the bridge in Niger”.
In a statement former Governor of Niger state, Dr. Mu’azu Babangida Aliyu who took over from him in 2007, described the death of Kure as shocking and devastating, saying Nigeria has lost a great politician.
He said: “I find it difficult to come to terms with the reality that my brother, my friend, has left us so soon. I have been in touch with his wife since he travelled outside the country for treatment. I never knew his time was near.”
He added: “Niger state has lost an illustrious son, Nigeria has indeed lost a great human asset. My brother Kure died at a time his contribution was needed. He was a peacemaker, a role model and a bridge builder. May Aljannah Firdaus be his abode. May Allah condole his wife, children and the entire Niger state.”
Still mourning the death of the former governor, the 2015 PDP governorship candidate in Niger state, Umar Nasko, said my prayers are with the family of our former leader and all Nigerlites.
Meanwhile the Niger state government has declared a three-day mourning in honour of the late former governor.
The government in a statement issued by the state Commissioner of Information, Culture and Tourism, Mr. Jonathan Vatsa, yesterday confirmed the death of Kure, said that he died after a brief illness at the age of 61.
He said that all flags would be at half mast throughout the state during the mourning period, adding that the state governor, Alhaji Abubakar Sani Bello has also declared a work free day on the day of the burial of the former governor to enable all Nigerlites accord the departed leader a befitting burial.
He said that the government will miss the wise counsel of the former governor, who despite political differences never failed to offer meaningful advice to the government.
“The intervention of the former governor during the recent labour crisis in the state was not only legendary but showed him as an elder statesman, whose main concern was for the good, progress and unity of the state.
“Engineer Abdulkadir Abdullahi Kure remain a leader who out of office showed concern for the development of the state. His statesmanship saw him jettisoning party affiliation when he personally intervened in the recent labour crisis in the state.”
