Reported by Ariajegbe Sylvia Esezobor
A former Deputy National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, Chibudom Nwuche, has described the death of former PDP National Chairman Bamanga Tukur as a major loss to Nigeria, saying the country has lost a colossus whose contributions cut across politics, public service and business.
Nwuche, who served as Deputy National Chairman of the PDP under Tukur between 2012 and 2014, said in a condolence message on Tuesday that the deceased was his leader, mentor and father figure. "With deep sorrow, I received the news of the passing of my leader, my mentor and father figure, Alhaji Dr Bamanga Tukur," he said. "As Deputy National Chairman of the PDP under his leadership from 2012 to 2014, I saw first-hand a statesman of uncommon wisdom, discipline and patriotism. He led the party with firmness, institutional knowledge and an unwavering belief in party supremacy and national unity." Nwuche described Tukur as urbane, generous and full of big ideas, adding that he believed deeply in Nigeria's limitless potential and in grooming younger people to serve. He extended condolences to the Tukur family, the Fombina Emirate, the government and people of Adamawa State, the PDP, and President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
Tukur, who was the first civilian governor of the defunct Gongola State and a former National Chairman of the PDP, died on Saturday in Abuja. He was 90 years old, just three days shy of his 91st birthday. His remains were laid to rest on Sunday in his hometown of Yola, Adamawa State, amid eulogies from across Nigeria's political and business spectrum. He was buried according to Islamic rites at his family house in Fadde-Sanda on Abuja Road. Governor Ahmadu Fintiri declared three days of mourning across Adamawa State and directed that all government flags fly at half-mast throughout the period as a mark of respect for Tukur's contributions to public service.
The tributes that have poured in since his death reflect the breadth of a career that spanned more than six decades. Former President Olusegun Obasanjo described Tukur as a patriot whose life was a testament to unwavering commitment and stellar public service, saying Nigeria had lost a colossus and a bridge-builder who left an indelible footprint in the history of the republic. President Bola Tinubu said Tukur's death marked the end of a remarkable chapter in Nigeria's political and economic history, recalling his role in transforming the maritime sector during his tenure as General Manager of the Nigerian Ports Authority between 1975 and 1982. The PDP described him as a towering figure who made remarkable contributions to Nigeria's political, economic and democratic development.
The Chairman of the Northern Nigeria Governors' Forum, Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya, said on behalf of his colleagues that Nigeria had lost one of its most experienced public servants, political leaders and champions of economic development. He noted that Tukur devoted more than six decades to public service, business, politics and national development, serving the country in several strategic capacities. "Alhaji Bamanga Tukur lived a long and impactful life, serving Nigeria in several critical capacities and contributing significantly to the growth of our economy, institutions and political development," Yahaya said. "His wealth of experience, wisdom and commitment to public service will be greatly missed. His death is a great loss to the North and the entire nation".
Former Delta State Governor James Ibori said Tukur was a patriotic Nigerian who served the country with distinction and was a man of outstanding accomplishments whose contributions extended across politics and business. He noted that Tukur firmly believed in creating opportunities for younger Nigerians, a commitment evident when he announced his withdrawal from partisan politics at his 80th birthday. The Nigerian Ports Authority described its former General Manager and Chief Executive from 1975 to 1982 as a pillar of trade facilitation and an inspiration to generations of Nigerians. The Catholic Bishop of Sokoto Diocese, Matthew Hassan Kukah, who knew Tukur for over thirty years, said his death marked a major milestone in Nigeria's history, adding that he lived well, served well and contributed greatly to the nation.
Born in 1935 in Adamawa, Tukur's career was as varied as it was consequential. He studied at the University of Hull in England before returning to Nigeria, where he rose to become General Manager of the Nigerian Ports Authority. He was elected governor of Gongola State in 1983 on the platform of the National Party of Nigeria, a tenure cut short by the military coup that toppled the Second Republic. He later served as Minister of Industries between 1993 and 1995 under the military administration of General Sani Abacha. In the private sector, he chaired BHI Holdings and the DADDO Group of Companies, with interests spanning manufacturing, agriculture, logistics and trading. Beyond Nigeria, he emerged as a prominent voice for Africa's economic integration, serving as Executive President of the African Business Roundtable and Chairman of the NEPAD Business Group, where he championed intra-African trade and private sector-led growth.
Tukur's tenure as National Chairman of the PDP from March 2012 to January 2014 was a turbulent period in the ruling party's history. He was appointed as the party sought to rebuild its internal machinery ahead of the 2015 general elections, but his leadership was marked by fierce internal disputes, particularly in the aftermath of the 2013 governorship election in Anambra State and the crisis that followed the defection of several governors to the opposition. He resigned from the position in January 2014, less than two years into his tenure, amid pressure from party stakeholders. His time as chairman also saw the emergence of the G5 governors' crisis, which would later reshape the PDP's fortunes. Despite the controversies of his chairmanship, Nwuche and others who worked closely with him insist his commitment to party supremacy and national unity never wavered.
Tukur was also the Tafidan Adamawa, a traditional title that underscored his standing in the Fombina Emirate. His son, Awwal Tukur, serves as Secretary to the Government of Adamawa State and was a colleague of Nwuche's at the National Assembly between 1999 and 2003. Nwuche extended his condolences to the younger Tukur, describing the loss as personal.
As Nigeria bids farewell to one of its most enduring political and business figures, the tributes from across the political divide offer a reminder of a career that defied simple categorisation. Tukur was a governor, a minister, a party chairman and a continental business leader, but those who knew him best remember him as a mentor and a bridge-builder. "At 90, he lived a fulfilled life of service," Nwuche said. "He was urbane, generous, full of big ideas and bold enterprise. He believed deeply in Nigeria's limitless potential and in grooming younger ones to serve." In a nation often divided along ethnic, religious and political lines, the breadth of tributes to Tukur stands as a testament to a life that transcended those divides.
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