KANO, Nigeria – Bashir Tofa, one time Presidential Candidate of the defunct National Republican Convention (NRC), died in the early hours of Monday morning in Kano State, northern Nigeria.
TVAFRINET learnt that the elder statesman died after battling with an undisclosed illness for some time now. A family sources said the illness worsened resulting to his death in the early hours of Monday, 3rd of January.
Tofa contested agains was MKO Abiola’s in the presidential election in June 12, 1993. The acclaimed freest election in Nigeria political history became controversial when it was annulled by the military government of General Ibrahim Babangida.
Following the political unsettling atmosphere in the last two years in Nigeria, due to insecurity, herdsmen farmers classes – resulting to agitation by various ethnical groups from the southern part of Nigeria, calling for restructuring, the elder statesman has been working behind the scene with leaders of thoughts from various ethnical groups across Nigeria to douse off the tension.
Tofa was born in Kano on June 20, 1947 and had his primary education at Shahuci Junior Primary, Kano and continued at City Senior Primary School in Kano. From 1962 to 1966, he attended Provincial College, Kano.
After completing his studies at the Provincial school, he worked for Royal Exchange Insurance company from 1967 to 1968. From 1970 to 1973, he attended City of London College.
Mr Tofa’s sojourn into politics started in 1976 when he was a councillor of Dawakin Tofa Local Government Council. In 1977, he was elected a member of the Constituent Assembly.
