President Muhammadu Buhari on Monday expressed grief over the death of a one-time Presidential Candidate in a two-horse race, Bashir Tofa.
Buhari made his feelings known in a tribute to the deceased, which was released by Garba Shehu, his Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, in Abuja.
The President described the late Tofa, a politician of note, who was also a promoter of Islamic culture and civilization, as a “true nationalist that would be difficult to replace”.
He said: “The late Tofa was noted for his untiring commitment to public enlightenment and was unafraid to speak the truth all the time that he lived.
“He was, till the end, a patriot to the core. He envisaged a better Nigeria for all. We pray that this dream and collective aspiration and necessary commitment will not go with him. We owe it to his memory and to the nation.”
According to Buhari, the late Tofa set up the Bureau for Islamic Propagation, BIP, in the mid-80s that helped to unite Muslim Scholars in the Northern States. The BIP also published books and newspapers.
Buhari also prayed to Allah to repose Tofa’s soul and grant fortitude to the bereaved family and friends, the Kano government and people of the State as well as the Kano Emirate Council to bear the loss.