President Muhammadu Buhari, Senate President, Ahmed Lawan, national leader of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu and Lagos Governor, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu, are among many who have been mourning the demise of Senator Sikiru Adebayo Osinowo, the Senator representing Lagos East senatorial district.
In a statement by Garba Shehu, his Senior Special Assistant (Media & Publicity), President Buhari offered his deepest condolences to the family of Osinowo and the Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria on the death of Senator Osinowo.
President Buhari recounted that as Chairman of Senate Committee on Industry and member of other committees, Senator Osinowo worked diligently to advance his administration’s objective of building a better and prosperous Nigeria.
“The President affirms that the Senator’s commitment to meet the needs of his community as a four-time member of the Lagos State House of Assembly, devotion to national development as well as insightful contributions at the floor of the Senate would be fondly remembered and missed.”
Senator Lawan, in his statement said he received with shock and sadness the news on Monday of the death of Senator Osinowo.
Lawan condoled with Senator Osinowo’s family, friends, political associates and also the government and people of Lagos State over the loss.
Senator Osinowo who until his death represented Lagos East Senatorial first made his mark at the Lagos Civil Service and also at the Lagos State House Assembly where he served four terms before his election to the Senate.
Lawan said Osinowo served his country creditably as a Distinguished Senator at the Ninth Senate which marked its first anniversary only last week.
The Senate President said the pains of Senator Osinowo’s untimely departure will be felt by his colleagues and the National Assembly in general.
Tinubu said the sudden, unexpected passing of Osinowo has deeply hurt him and Lagosians noting that the late legislator was more than a close friend and political associate. “Over the years he became like a family member and brother in so many ways.
“Bayo and I have come a long way, dating back to our days in the pro-democracy struggles. We both enlisted in the Social Democratic Party where he served so well as the Youth Chairman of that party during the Third Republic and later in the Alliance for Democracy in 1998 after the restoration of democracy. Bayo’s contributions to the return of democracy were significant and enduring.
“As a prominent political figure in Lagos, he served our state with dedication, passion and concern for the common man. In the Lagos State House of Assembly, where he was a four-time member from 2003 to 2019 representing Kosofe Constituency 1, he was more than a member of that House. He provided leadership. He was a stabilising figure. He worked hard and tirelessly to make Lagos a better place. He cared for all Lagosians.
“His election in 2019 to represent Lagos East in the Senate demonstrated not only his immense political skills but also the affection the people have for him and his popularity. Thus far in the National Assembly, he discharged himself creditably as Chairman Senate Committee on Industries.
“Like the committee he headed, Bayo was extremely industrious. Bayo was not born with riches. He rose from a modest background to the great heights that he attained.
“His death hurt all who know him. Bayo was more than an excellent politician. As great a politician he was, Bayo was an even better person. He was a man of a kind heart and ready smile. His loyalty and enthusiasm was legendary, just as his generosity.
“People loved him. So many tears have been shed. However, we must summon strength to carry on as he would want us to do.”
Sanwo-Olu, on his part, expressed sadness over the sudden death of Osinowo at the age of 64 after a brief illness.
Sanwo-Olu in a condolence message, signed by his Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Gboyega Akosile described Osinowo’s death as a rude shock, coming at a time when the State and indeed the entire nation had just started benefiting from his wealth of political and administrative experience.
The Governor said Osinowo’s demise had thrown the State into mourning, urging Lagosians, whose interests the late lawmaker represented at the National Assembly to use his death as a reminder that the battle against the ravaging coronavirus pandemic is far from being won.
“The death of Senator Bayo Osinowo is painful. He died at a time when we have just begun to consolidate on our successes and see a ray of hope in our fight against the covid-19. We must not allow the death of Senator Osinowo to deter us from forging ahead in our quest to find a lasting solution to the dreaded disease.
“I am saddened by the death of this fine gentleman; a loyal party man and committed democrat, with a deep understanding of the State’s social and political landscape.”
“Senator Osinowo was an extremely loyal politician, who started his political journey with the progressives and remained in the fold until his unfortunate exit today.”
“There’s no doubting the fact that he would be missed by the entire political class, particularly his immediate constituents in Kosofe, the Lagos East Senatorial District and the State as a whole.”
The Governor added that the best honour to give the deceased would be for government to speedily achieve a turn around in the State’s health sector by ensuring that no single life is lost on the account of poor health.
“We will continue to give priority attention to our health sector, improve on service delivery, trainings and other critical areas in the sector so as to ensure that no life is lost due to poor health facilities.”
Governor Sanwo-Olu condoled with the immediate family of the departed, national leader of the APC, Asiwaju Tinubu and President of the Senate, Ahmed Lawan over what he described as the loss of a “dear colleague”.
He also sympathised with members of the APC in Lagos and at the national level as well as the Lagos State House of Assembly.
