Gov. Yahaya Bello of Kogi has commiserated with the government and people of Kano State and the state’s emirates council on the passing of Alhaji Datti Ahmed and Alhaji Othman Tofa.
Bello gave his condolences in a statement issued by his Chief Press Secretary, Mr Onogwu Muhammed, on Monday in Lokoja.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Ahmed was the former President-General of the Supreme Council for Sharia in Nigeria, while Tofa was a former Presidential Candidate of the defunct the National Republican Convention in the 1993 presidential election.
The statement quoted Bello as describing the death of the two elder statesmen as a great loss not only to Kano State but to Nigeria in general.
“Dr Datti Ahmed was a refined gentleman with unquantifiable contributions to the development of education and the Sharia knowledge as a guidance to the Muslim faithful.
“He will be missed for his wise counselling and his vast knowledge on moral lessons needed for our future generations.
“The death of Alhaji Tofa will no doubt create a vacuum in Nigeria’s political space.
“He was a gentleman politician who believed in service delivery and developmental democracy.
“We pray to Allah (SWT) to grant their souls eternal rest in Aljannatur Firdausi,” Bello stated.
The governor also prayed to Allah to grant their families, the government and people of Kano State and the entire Emirates Council the fortitude to bear the irreparable loss. (NAN)