Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu, has expressed sadness over the death of his former Senior Special Assistant on Works and Infrastructure, Abdulraheem Owokoniran, describing his death as a rude shock.
Owokoniran, a former aide to the First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu and also an aspirant on the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in the primary for the just held bye-election to the House of Representatives for the Surelere Federal Constituency seat, reportedly died in the United Kingdom this weekend.
The APC chieftain, who is also former aide to Governor Sanwo-Olu on Works and Infrastructure, was pronounced dead by medical experts in UK barely four months after contesting for the party’s ticket for the then vacant seat.
Governor Sanwo-Olu in a condolence message issued by his Chief Press Secretary (CPS) Mr Gboyega Akosile, on Sunday, further described the deceased as a young Nigerian politician with great ideas about nation building and development, adding that Owokoniran was a strong party man and an advocate of masses-oriented programmes.
The governor equally sympathised with his Special Adviser on Tourism, Arts and Culture, Mr. Idris Aregbe, who is a younger brother to the late Owokoniran, the immediate family, friends and political associates of the deceased, as well as the Lagos APC and the entire people of Surulere.
“I am saddened by the death of one of our trusted party members in Lagos APC, Abdulraheem Owokoniran. He was a loyal party man and a committed democrat.
“He was an extremely loyal and great politician, who did his best for our party. He served Lagos State passionately during his tenure as Senior Special Assistant on Works and Infrastructure by contributing his quota to the growth and development of Lagos State,” Governor Sanwo-Olu said.
Sanwo-Olu, while noting that the late Owokoniran would be missed by the entire political class, particularly the people of Surulere, Lagos APC and the state as a whole, prayed that God would grant his soul eternal rest and his immediate family the fortitude to bear the irreplaceable loss.
“Abdulraheem Owokoniran would be missed by the entire political class, particularly the people of Surulere, Lagos APC and the state as a whole. I pray that God will grant the soul of the beloved Abdulraheem Owokoniran eternal rest in Aljannah Firdaus and grant his immediate family the fortitude to bear the irreplaceable loss.”