Buhari mourns as Leadership Newspapers’ publisher, Nda-Isaiah, dies at 58

President Muhammadu Buhari has expressed shock over the sudden death of Sam Nda-Isaiah, the publisher of Leadership Newspaper late Fiday.

The newspaper publisher, aged 58, died four days after after he attended the Newspaper Proprietors of Nigeria (NPAN) meeting held in Lagos.i

At the meeting which was held in Lagos on Tuesday where Daily Trust publisher, Kabir Yusuf, emerged new president of the association, the deceased was alongside publisher of The Pilot, Prince Dannis Sami and Ray Ekpu, a past president of the association nominated without opposition as ex-officios of the NPAN.

It was gathered that Nda-Isaiah, aged 58, died late Friday night after a brief illness.

Though trained as a pharmacist, Nda-Isaiah made his mark as a newspaper publisher and a columnist.

He was also a politician and member of All Progressives Congress, APC.

He contested for the presidential ticket of APC alongside former Vice President Atiku Abubakar; former Governor Rochas Okorocha and former Governor Rabiu Kwankwaso among others in 2015.

While expressing shock over the death of Sam Nda-Isaiah, President Buhari described him as “a friend and ally.”

The president, in a condolence message by his spokesman, Mr Femi Adesina, in Abuja on Saturday condoled with the media fraternity, the Nda-Isaiah family, friends and associates of the deceased.

‘The country has lost a man of conviction, a resolute and dogged believer in a better Nigeria.

“He will be sorely missed. This is a massive fish gone out of the media ocean,” Buhari said of the pharmacist, renowned columnist, and one time presidential aspirant on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC).