Tinubu reacts to death of Alao-Akala

A leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Bola Tinubu, has expressed deep sadness over the passing on of a former Oyo State governor, Adebayo Alao-Akala.

Mr Tinubu, a former Lagos State governor, in a statement signed by Tunde Rahman of his media office on Wednesday in Lagos, acknowledged that the late Mr Alao-Akala would “sorely” be missed by the people of Ogbomoso, Oyo State, and the APC.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Mr Alao-Akala, a chieftain of the APC and the governor of Oyo State between 2007 and 2011, died in his Ogbomoso residence on Wednesday at the age of 71.

Born on June 3, 1950, at Ogbomoso in Ogbomoso North Local Government Area of Oyo State, Mr Alao-Akala had his elementary school at Osupa Baptist Day School, Ogbomoso.

He later proceeded to Kamina Barracks Middle School, 5th Battalion of Infantry in Tamale, Ghana.

Mr Tinubu said: “I received the news of the passing of the former governor of Oyo State, Chief Alao-Akala, with shock and deep sadness.

“Coming a month after the death of the Soun of Ogbomoso, Oba Jimoh Oyewumi; the loss of Alao-Akala, another eminent son of Ogbomoso and Oyo State, is disheartening.

“Alao-Akala passed on when the state and particularly our party, the All Progressives Congress, needed his services.

He said that the late Alao-Akala died when his wisdom and experience were required to help resolve the leadership crisis in the state and wield the party together once again.

“Alao-Akala was a leader and a prominent politician who did his best not only for his Ogbomoso-hometown, but also for Oyo State and Nigeria,” he said.

According to the APC leader, Mr Alao-Akala served the country meritoriously in the police force, rising to the top of the ladder before venturing into politics.

“As governor of Oyo State, he contributed his quota to the development of the state and tried to enhance the welfare of the people.”