Douglas, former minister, dies in Abuja

Alabo Tonye Graham-Douglas, a former Minister of Labour and Productivity, is dead.

A close associate, who disclosed this to newsmen, said Douglas died in Abuja in the early hours of Monday.

The deceased was a two-time minister and a public relations expert.

Graham-Douglas became commissioner for youths, sports and culture in 1986 in Rivers State.

He was appointed minister of Youths, Sports and Culture in 1989, and minister of Aviation in General Ibrahim Babangida’s cabinet.

In 1992, Graham-Douglas became the chairman of Southern Minorities Movement, one of the groups that eventually merged into the People’s Democratic Party (PDP).

He was a candidate in the PDP primaries for the presidential nomination in 1998, losing to Olusegun Obasanjo, who went on to become President.

He served as minister of culture and later labour, employment and productivity under ex-President Olusegun Obasanjo.