By Lateef Ibrahim, Abuja
Elder statesman and former Governor of old Gongola State, Alhaji Bamanga Tukur, is dead.
Alhaji Tukur, a renowned business tycoon, died on Saturday, at the age of 90 in a brief illness.
The announcement of Tukur’s death was made by the Adamawa State Governor, Hon. Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri.
“Alhaji Tukur, an elder statesman, accomplished businessman and distinguished politician, passed away on Saturday in a brief illness,” Fintiri said in a statement signed by his spokesperson, Humwashi Wonosikou.
The Governor has already declared three days of mourning across Adamawa State, with all government flags to fly at half-mast.
Alhaji Bamanga Tukur was a colossus who made remarkable contributions to the development of Adamawa State and Nigeria.
“His wealth of experience, wisdom and commitment to public service earned him a place of honour in our national history,” Fintiri said.
“I will personally miss his wise counsel… His passing has left a significant void that will be difficult to fill”, he added.
Born in 1935 in Yola, he first rose to national prominence as the first civilian Governor of Gongola State from 1979 to 1983 under the National Party of Nigeria, NPN.
At a time when military rule loomed large, Tukur governed the vast, multi-ethnic Gongola with a focus on agriculture, education and infrastructure — laying foundations that still shape present-day Adamawa and Taraba.
Tukur built himself into an international businessman with interests in banking, insurance, oil and gas, agriculture and media.
He was Chairman of NPA, Chairman of Savannah Sugar Company, and at various times sat on boards that connected Nigerian capital to the world.
In politics, he became one of the architects of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP.
As National Chairman of the PDP from 2012 to 2014, he presided over the party at the height of its national dominance, navigating the turbulent period that preceded the 2015 elections. To many in the party, he was the bridge between the founding fathers and the new generation.
Beyond titles, Tukur was regarded as a political godfather in the Northeast and a quiet power broker in Abuja. Governors, ministers and party chieftains routinely sought his counsel.
His reputation rested on three pillars: business acumen, political longevity, and a belief in institution-building over personality politics.
Even in his 80s, he remained active in dialogues on national unity, economic diversification and youth empowerment.
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