President Muhammadu Buhari has mourned a former Senator representing Ekiti South Senatorial District, Gbenga Aluko, who died in Abuja over the weekend at the age of 58.
President Buhari, in a statement by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Femi Adesina, titled ‘President Buhari condoles with National Assembly, Ekiti State Government over passing of Sen Gbenga Aluko,’ urged family, friends and political associates of the deceased to find solace in God and the antecedents of the former federal lawmaker.
According to Adesina, the President commiserated with members of All Progressives Congress, people and government of Ekiti State, on the loss of the political leader, who served his state and the nation, and was dutifully committed to improving the lot of his community.
He prayed for the repose of his soul and comfort for the family
Similarly, Ekiti State Governor, Dr Kayode Fayemi has described the death of former Senator from Ekiti South Senatorial District, Gbenga Aluko as ” shocking and devastating”.
The Ode-Ekiti-born politician and businessman died on Saturday in Abuja.
Dr Fayemi in a condolence message by his Chief Press Secretary, Yinka Oyebode, described Aluko’s death as a colossal loss to Ekiti State and the nation.
“I have lost a dear brother and friend”, the Governor said, adding that Senator Aluko’s death was not only a loss to the state but a personal loss to him, having had close and cordial relationship with the deceased spanning four decades.
The Governor said the late Gbenga Aluko was not only a brother and friend but also a patriotic Ekiti indigene whose contributions to the development of the State cannot be overstated.
Governor Fayemi described the former governorship aspirant as a successful private sector player, refined gentleman and a decent politician who made great impact in almost every aspect of life.
The Chairman of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF) recalled how the deceased influenced the establishment of a Chest Clinic at the Oba Adejugbe General Hospital in Ado Ekiti, a project which he described as being of great benefit to the State’s health sector.
He also noted that the deceased served selflessly in the Ekiti State Covid- 19 Response Committee.
The Governor who noted the deceased’s brilliance and generosity of spirit, said the late Aluko served his fatherland diligently and made Ekiti proud through numerous achievements.
“Senator Gbenga Aluko invested his time, resources and energy on many laudable initiatives that impacted positively on the lives of the people and was always ready to support any worthy Ekiti cause with his wealth of experience and extensive national and global contacts”.
“For us in Ekiti, this is a huge loss. And it is a personal loss to me. We, however, cannot question God but we are consoled by the fact that he lived a decent life of service and made great impact in the lives of the people and he shall be sorely missed.
“On behalf of my wife, Erelu Bisi, the Government and good people of Ekiti State, I Dr Kayode Fayemi commiserate with the Aluko family and pray God to grant them the fortitude to bear the irreparable loss”.
He recalled that the late Senator Aluko, one of the children of the renowned Economist, late Professor Sam Aluko, carved an identity for himself as a successful corporate player who got elected onto the Senate of the Federal Republic in 1999 at the age of 36 years.
Also, a chieftain of of All Progressives Congress APC in Ekiti state, Mr Kayode Ojo has expressed shock over the death of a stalwart of APC and former federal lawmaker, Senator Gbenga Aluko.
In a statement in Ado Ekiti by his Media and Publicity Director, Alhaji Deji Ayelabowo, Mr Ojo described the sudden death of the former lawmaker as unfortunate, saying, it is a great loss not only to his family but to the entire APC and Ekiti State in general.
He described Senator Aluko as a diligent and unassuming politician who had passion for the growth and development of Ekiti State.
Mr Ojo affirmed that though death is inevitable, it breaks the heart when it picks loved ones at a time their lives were blossoming and when their expertise and services were needed most.
He prayed God to grant him eternal rest and charged the immediate family to take solace in the fact that Senator Aluko lived a fulfilled life.
The governorship aspirant prayed God to grant the family the fortitude to bear the irreparable loss.
In another condolence message, the Ekiti South Development Agenda, a group agitating for the zoning of the next Governor of Ekiti to the Zone has described the death of Senator Gbenga Aluko as unfortunate.
The group described Aluko as one of the political leaders from the area, saying that his positive contribution to the progress of Ekiti state and Ekiti south will be missed.
In a statement, the coordinator of the group, Mr Idowu Afuye described the late Aluko, as one of his kinsmen, that Ode Ekiti, and the Ekiti people will greatly miss, praying that God should grant him eternal rest, and grant the family of the deceased the fortitude to bear the irreparable loss.
