Ex-Kano Deputy Governor, Magaji Abdullahi Dies at 69

The death has occurred of the former Deputy Governor of Kano State, Alhaji Magaji Abdullahi.

Aged 69, Abdullahi died in the early hours of Sunday after a protracted illness at his residence located at NNDC Quarters at Sharada area in Kano metropolis.

Alhaji Abdulkadir Ibrahim, the former Press Secretary to the deceased, confirmed this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Sunday in Kano.

He said that Abdullahi is survived by one wife, many children and grand children.

According to him, the deceased was a one-time commissioner for Works, Housing and Transport between 1989 and 1990, and later commissioner for Water Resources.

NAN reports that Abdullahi came into limelight when he contested for the governorship of Kano State under the defunct Social Democratic Party (SDP) in 1991.

In 1999, Abdullahi defeated Senator Kabiru Gaya in the APP governorship primaries, but lost to Senator Rabiu Kwankwaso.

He later became Ibrahim Shekarau’s running mate in 2003 and served as Deputy Governor under APP and later ANPP from 2003 to 2007.

The deceased had since been buried in accordance with Islamic rites at the Dandolo grave yard at Goron Dutse in Kano metropolis.

Among those who attended the funeral prayer were Governor Abdullahi Ganduje and his Deputy, Professor Hafiz Abubakar, as well as other top government officials and politicians from within and outside the state.