BREAKING: Former PDP chairman Bamanga Tukur dies at 90
Former National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Alhaji Bamanga Tukur, has died.
Western Post learnt from family sources on Saturday that Tukur died at the age of 90. Details surrounding his death were not immediately available as of the time of filing this report.
Born on September 15, 1935, Tukur was a prominent businessman, politician and former governor of the old Gongola State, which comprised present-day Adamawa and Taraba states.
He first gained national prominence as the general manager of the Nigerian Ports Authority, a position he held from 1975 to 1982. He later ventured into politics and was elected governor of Gongola State in 1983, although his administration was cut short by the military coup that ended the Second Republic later that year.
Tukur subsequently went into full-time business and founded BHI Holdings, also known as the DADDO Group of Companies. He later served as minister of industries under the military administration of General Sani Abacha between 1993 and 1995.
He was also prominent in African business circles, serving as executive president of the African Business Roundtable and chairman of the NEPAD Business Group. He held several other positions in international business and investment organisations.
In March 2012, Tukur became national chairman of the PDP with the backing of former President Goodluck Jonathan. He resigned from the position in January 2014 following months of internal crisis within the ruling party.
Tukur, who held the traditional title of Tafidan Adamawa, was also a recipient of the national honours of Commander of the Order of the Mono (COM) and Commander of the Order of the Niger (CON). He is survived by his family.
