The All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate in Saturday’s Kogi governorship election, Prince Abubakar Audu, is dead.
Qed.ng could not immediately confirm the death officially as efforts to reach his spokespersons were unsuccessful.
Senator representing Kaduna Central Senatorial District, Shehu Sani, however tweeted “Victory and tragedy. We mourn, We mourn a dogged fighter, a resilient optimist.”
Abubakar Audu;Victory and tragedy.We mourn,We mourn a dogged fighter,a resilient optimist.
— Senator Shehu Sani (@shehusani) November 22, 2015
He will be buried in his hometown tomorrow according to Islamic rites.
Audu, who was twice governor of the state before his latest attempt at returning to Lugard House in Lokoja is believed to have suffered a massive stroke.
He complained exhaustion during the events leading to the poll and doctors had advised that he slowed down.
His condition deteriorated on Saturday after he had cast his vote, with close associates revealing that he went to bed feeling terribly unwell.
Sources close to Audu disclosed that plans had been made to fly him out of the country for medical treatment before the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) announced that the election was inconclusive.
He passed on before that announcement was made.
According to results declared by the Election Returning Officer, Emmanuel Kucha (Vice-Chancellor of the University of Agriculture, Makurdi), Audu scored 240,867 while his closest rival and incumbent Governor Idris Wada of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) garnered 199,514 votes.
Kucha said the margin of votes between Audu and Wada is 41,353. And that the election is inconclusive because the total number of registered voters in 91 polling units, in 18 local government areas, where election was cancelled is 49,953.
That figure is higher than the 41,353 votes with which Audu led Wada.
The returning officer said by INEC guideline, no return could be made for the election until supplementary election is held in areas where election was cancelled at a date to be announced later.
Audu’s first tenure as governor of Kogi was from January 1992 until November 1993 and the second from May 29, 1999 to May 29, 2003.
Born on October 27, 1947 to the family of his Royal Highness, the late Pa Audu Oyidi, Orego Atta of Igala Land and the paramount ruler of Ogbonicha-Alloma in Ofu Local Government Area of Kogi State, Audu started his education at the then N.A. Junior Primary School, Alloma, and later N.A Senior School Ankpa, from where he proceeded to Dennis Memorial Grammar School, Onitsha.
He later transferred to the Jos Commercial College where he obtained both the GCE O and A level.
After a stint as a bank worker, Prince Audu proceeded to London from 1975 to 1978 where he studied banking and personnel management, obtaining professional qualification as a certified secretary, and as a Fellow of the Association of International Accountants of London, as well as fellowship of the Chartered Institute of Industrial Administration of Nigeria.
His banking career lasted for a total of 25 years, which he spent with First Bank – formerly known and Standard Bank. Here, he served in various capacities at management level until 1991. He also made history as the bank’s first training officer of African descent and also as one of the first black senior management staff of Standard Chartered Bank in London and New York.
In 1991, he was appointed executive director of FSB International Bank Plc.
His sojourn into public service began in 1986 when we has appointed as commissioner for finance and economic planning in the Old Benue State. He served in this capacity until 1988 when the cabinet was dissolved. He then returned to Fist Bank as a general manager.
Kogi state was created from parts of the old Benue and Kwara states in August 1991. This coincided with one of Nigeria’s many previous encounters with democracy, and, Audu, being part of those who had advocated for the creation of the state and a notable son of the soil, was invited to contest for governorship. He contested on the platform of the National Republican Convention (NRC) and won the election held in November 1991. He was subsequently sworn in as the first executive governor of the state in January 1992.
In 1998, democracy was again re-introduced and Audu, now with the All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP), was elected and was sworn in on 29 May 1999 as the second executive governor of Kogi State.
Audu contested the 2003 and 2007 Kogi gubernatorial elections but lost to Ibrahim Idris of the PDP.
He contested again in 2012 and was again defeated, this time by incumbent Governor Wada.
When Prince Audu left office in 2003, he was charged by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) with corruption.
He responded to these allegations, stating that while he was governor, the state received less than N400million as monthly allocation, and that it would have been impossible to embezzle the N12 billion that the agency claims he did when he received less than N19 billion in total, yet embarked on many projects.
Audu emerged as the candidate of the APC for Saturday’s election on August 28, 2015. He subsequently announced House of Representatives member, James Faleke, as his running mate.
His death was announced as supporters were gathering to celebrate his purported victory at the poll.
INEC eventually announced that the election was inconclusive.
