•Fintiri declares three-day mourning in Adamawa

The remains of the late first civilian governor of the defunct Gongola State, Bamanga Tukur, were laid to rest in his hometown, Yola, in Adamawa State yesterday amid eulogies.

Tukur, who was also a national chairman of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), died on Saturday in Abuja at the age of 91, and was buried according to Islamic rites in his family house at Fadde-Sanda, on Abuja Road, Yola.

Following his burial, Governor Ahmadu Fintirideclared three days of mourning across the state in the deceased’s honour, while a statement by the Governor’s Chief Press Secretary also directed all government flags across the state to fly at half-mast throughout the mourning period as a mark of respect for his contributions to public service.

The governor described Tukur’s death as a monumental loss to the state and the country, saying the former governor made significant contributions to the development of the state and the country with courage, foresight, patriotism and commitment to public service.

Mourning Tukur, former President Olusegun Obasanjo said he was a patriot whose life was a testament to patriotism, unwavering commitment and stellar public service.

Similarly, a former governor of Delta State, James Ibori, said Tukur was a patriotic Nigerian who served the country with distinction in the various capacities he occupied, adding that he was a man of outstanding accomplishments whose contributions extended across politics and business.

According to Ibori, Tukur was also a leader who firmly believed in creating opportunities for younger Nigerians to emerge and contribute to the country’s development, with this commitment to generational change evident when Tukur announced his withdrawal from partisan politics at his 80th birthday.

Also, the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) described Tukur, who was its former General Manager and Chief Executive from 1975 to 1982, “as a pillar of trade facilitation and an inspiration to generations of Nigerians.

Expressing the agency’s condolences to the bereaved family, the NPA Managing Director, Dr Abubakar Dantsoho, who joined Fintiri to receive Tukur’s remains, said the late businessman’s death was a significant loss to Nigeria’s maritime and trade facilitation community.

In a statement yesterday by his Special Assistant on Media, Kehinde Akinyemi, Obasanjo noted that “throughout his long career, which spanned across governance, international business, and political leadership, he carried himself with an unmistakable sense of duty.

Obasanjo disclosed “a profound sense of loss” as he reflected on the elder statesman’s passing, stating that“throughout his long career, which spanned governance, international business, and political leadership, he carried himself with an unmistakable sense of duty.

He said that Tukur’s focus “remained fixed on national productivity and progress,” adding that “while politics often brought robust debates and differing perspectives on the direction of the then PDP and the nation, he never for once doubted Tukur’s foundational love for Nigeria.

Dantsoho noted in a statement by the NPA General Manager, Corporate Affairs, Ikechukwu Onyemekara, that Tukur’s years at the helm of the NPA remained particularly significant for his role in the development of Nigeria’s port administration and trade facilitation system.