Ex-Nigerian presidential candidate, Bashir Tofa, is dead
A former Nigerian presidential candidate on the platform of the defunct National Republican Convention (NRC) Alhaji Bashir Tofa, is dead.
The cause of death was not clear at the time of filing this report but a family source and daughter of the 83-year-old elder statesman told Periscope International that he had been ill for a while, and died on Monday morning.
Tofa was the major opponent of Chief Moshood Abiola of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) who was presumed to have won the election that was later annulled by the military leadership of Ibrahim Babangida.
The two men were the leading candidates in the 1993 Presidential election, which was adjudged the freest and fairest in the country, is dead.
Until his death, Tofa was known for speaking up for the country and suggesting ideas through which some of the crisis affecting Nigeria could be tackled.
Burial plans were are underway in Kano while this report was being filed.
Born on June 20, 1947, Tofa had his primary education at Shahuci Junior Primary, Kano and then continued studies at City Senior Primary School in Kano.
Between 1962 and 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.
His sojourn into politics started in 1976 when he was elected councilor of Dawakin Tofa Local Government Council. In 1977, he was elected a member into the Constituent Assembly.
During the Nigerian Second Republic, Tofa was at various times the secretary of the Kano branch of NPN, he later became the party’s national financial secretary and was a national member of the Green Revolution National Committee.
Periscope International reports that the deceased politician was until his death a successful multimillionaire businessman.
