By DEMOLA AKINYEMI

Tragedy has hit the administration of Governor Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq in Kwara state as one of his commissioners designate, Mr Tunji Abel died mysteriously at the weekend in Ilorin, the state capital.

Mr Abel in his early 50s according to Vanguard investigation

Governor Abdulrahaman Abdulrazaq in his reaction by his Chief Press Secretary, Mallam Rafiu Ajakaye, in a press statement made available to Vanguard described his death as one death too many.

According to the statement: “That was one death too many. We are still shocked at the untimely death of Hon. Tunji Abel who was always full of life. He was a great party man, a man of the people, and a die-hard believer in the great works of the Governor.

“He was recently nominated to contribute his own quota to the development of our dear state, but it has pleased our creator to recall him at this time. We are however consoled by the fact that Hon. Tunji Abel was a good man who played his own role very well while on earth.

“We sincerely commiserate with his family, friends and associates. We pray to the Almighty God to rest his soul and comfort his family at this trying time.”

He reportedly died late Friday night of complications from high blood pressure in one of the popular hospitals along Lajoorin area of Ilorin.

The late politician was said to have been treating high blood pressure ailment for some years now until he had complications on Friday evening before he was rushed to the private hospital where he died later in the evening.

He was earlier taken to a popular hospital along Zango before he was rushed to the hospital where he gave up the ghost.

Vanguard reliably gathered that the inquisitiveness in the hospitals about the travel and health history of the late politician contributed in no small measure to the alleged negligence by the staff caused his death.

Recall that the issue of the concealed information about the travel history of a patient Alh Jimoh Obanimomo that died in UITH over alleged COVID-19 virus complications stirred up issues about travel history of patients in the state.

“We would have taken him to UITH, but the problem of the travel history of patients particularly during this lockdown over COVID-19 issues made us settle for standard private hospitals, not knowing that the same fate would befall us. To me, there was negligence and delay, caused by the hospitals where they were laying emphasis on travel history rather than give the patient the immediate attention he deserved. But we believed that is the way God planned it to happen, so we rest our case,” said one of the close associates of the late politician who craved anonymity in an interview with Vanguard.

Hon Tunji Alabi from Ayekoja in Ifelodun local government area of Kwara State Vanguard gathered was one of the close allies of the governor, he was considering for the post of Deputy governor before he finally settled for the current Mr Kayode Alabi.

Since the appointment of Mr Alabi as the Deputy governor, Vanguard gathered that the governor has given the late politician more access to him such that he asked him to accompany him to many important public functions until he appointed him as Commissioner One in the State Local government Service Commission.

The late politician was awaiting screening in the house of assembly before his death at the weekend.

Vanguard also gathered that he was scheduled to resume today by his appointment, if not for the crisis of Covid-19 in the state. He was buried in his hometown, Ayekojo on Sunday.(Text, excluding headline, courtesy of Vanguard)

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