All Progressives Congress (APC) National Leader, Sen. Bola Tinubu, has commiserated with the family of Sen. Bayo Osinowo, who died on Monday after a brief illness at the age of 64.

Tinubu, in a condolence message, described Osinowo’s death as a painful loss to him and Lagosians

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Osinowo represented Lagos East constituency in the Senate and was the Chairman, Senate Committee on Industries until his death.

Osinowo, famously called Pepperito, was born in Ijebu-Ode, Ogun, on 28 November 1955.

“The sudden, unexpected passing of Osinowo has deeply hurt me and Lagosians.

“He was more than a close friend and political associate. Over the years he became like a family member and brother in so many ways,” the APC leader said.

He noted that the late senator’s contributions to the return of democracy were significant and enduring.

“He was a stabilising figure who worked hard and tirelessly to make Lagos a better place.

“As a prominent political figure in Lagos, he served our state with dedication, passion and concern for the common man.

“He cared for all Lagosians.

“Bayo and I have come a long way, dating back to our days in the pro-democracy struggles.

“We both enlisted in the then Social Democratic Party (SDP) where he served so well as the Youth Chairman of that party during the Third Republic and later in the Alliance for Democracy (AD) in 1998 after the restoration of democracy.

“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.

“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,” Tinubu said.

According to Tinubu, the late senator was not born with riches but he was extremely industrious.

He said Osinowo, however, rose from a modest background to the great heights that he attained.

“His death hurt all who know him because he was more than an excellent politician.

“Bayo was a man with 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,” he said

Tinubu urged all to summon strength to carry on.

He said that his thoughts were with his immediate family.

He prayed Almighty Allah to comfort and give them the solace that only He could provide.

“May Almighty Allah grant him eternal rest and admit him to Aljanna Firdaus,” he said.

Similarly, Lagos State Governor, Mr Babajide Sanwo-Olu, has expressed sadness over the sudden death of Sen. Osinowo.

Sanwo-Olu, in a condolence message signed by his Chief Press Secretary, Mr Gboyega Akosile, described Sen. Osinowo’s death as a rude shock.

He said Osinowo’s death came 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 that Osinowo’s demise had thrown the state into mourning.

He urged Lagos residents, 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 was far from being won.

“The death of Sen. 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 his death to deter us from forging ahead in our quest to finding 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.

“Sen. 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,” Sanwo-Olu said.

The governor said that the best honour to give the deceased would be for the government to speedily achieve a turn-around in the state’s health sector, by ensuring that no single life was 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,” he said.

Sanwo-Olu condoled with the immediate family of the deceased, Ex-Governor Bola Ahmed Tinubu, and President of the Senate, Ahmed Ibrahim Lawan, over the loss of a “dear colleague”.

The governor also sympathised with members of APC in Lagos and at the national level, as well as the Lagos State House of Assembly.

“I pray that Almighty Allah grants the soul of our beloved Bayo Osinowo eternal rest and grant him a place in Aljannah firdaus,” Sanwo-Olu said. (NAN)