Buhari, Lawan, Tinubu, Sanwo-Olu, APC: Osinowo’s death painful

President Muhammadu Buhari has condoled with the Osinowo Family and the Senate on the death of Senator Sikiru Adebayo Osinowo, the Senator representing Lagos East District.
The president’s condolence message was released by his Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Malam Garba Shehu, in Abuja on Monday.
Buhari observed that, as a member of the ninth senate and Chairman of Senate Committee on Industry and member of other committees, Osinowo worked diligently to advance this administration’s objective of building a better and prosperous Nigeria.
He affirmed 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.
The President prayed almighty God to grant the family of Osinowo, friends and well-wishers the fortitude to bear the loss.
Also, Senate President, Ahmad Lawan, received with shock and sadness the news of the death.
Lawan, in a statement by his Special Adviser on Media, Ola Awoniyi, condoled with Osinowo’s family, friends, political associates and also the government and people of Lagos State over the loss.
Osinowo,  who until his death represented Lagos East Senatorial District, first made his mark at the Lagos Civil Service and also at the Lagos State House of 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.
Osinowo was the Chairman of the Committee on Industries.
The Senate President said the pains of Osinowo’s untimely departure would be felt by his distinguished colleagues and the National Assembly in general.
Lawan prayed for the repose of his gentle soul and for God to grant those he left behind the fortitude to bear the loss.
National Leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Senator Bola Tinubu, in a statement, said: “The sudden, unexpected passing of Senator Bayo 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.
“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.
“My thoughts are with his immediate family. May Almighty Allah comfort and give them the solace that only He can provide. May Almighty Allah grant him eternal rest and admit him to Aljanna Firdaus”.
Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu, expressed sadness over the death of Osinowo.
Sanwo-Olu, in a condolence message 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 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.”
“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.”
Sanwo-Olu condoled with the immediate family of the departed, national leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, President of the Senate, Ahmed Ibrahim Lawan over what he described as the loss of a “dear colleague”.
He also sympathised with members of the All Progressives Congress in Lagos and at the national level as well as the Lagos State House of Assembly.
“I pray that almighty Allah grant the soul of our beloved Bayo Osinowo eternal rest and grant him a place in Aljannah firdaus, he said.
The All Progressives Congress (APC) expressed shock over the death.
The APC National Publicity Secretary, Malam Lanre Issa-Onilu, made the assertion in a statement in Abuja on Monday while commiserating with the Osinowo’s immediate family and political associates.
“We join other Nigerians, the entire National Assembly, the good people of Lagos East in particular and Lagos State in general to mourn the passage of a democrat, who had contributed immensely to the development of Lagos State as a lawmaker in the House of Assembly and Nigeria as a Senator.
“Though his tenure in the Senate was brief, our great party appreciates the loyalty of Sen. Osinowo to the cause of the APC-led government.
“Fondly called “Pepperito” by friends and associates, he was a four-term member of the Lagos House of Assembly, where he represented Kosofe Constituency.
“In the 9th Senate, Osinowo chaired the Senate Committee on Commerce, Industries and Investment.
“We commiserate with his immediate family, political associates in Lagos State and beyond; and the Senate for this irreparable loss.
“We pray that the Almighty God grants the deceased peaceful and eternal rest,” he said.
Senator Solomon Adeola (APC, Lagos -West) also expressed sadness at the demise of Osinowo.
Adeola in a statement by his Media Adviser, Chief Kayode Odunaro, in Abuja on Monday, described the death as shocking.
He noted that Lagos State and indeed Nigeria have lost a truly progressive politician and an astute businessman.
He said Osinowo fought for the enthronement of democracy in Nigeria.
“Senator Osinowo’s political history dates back to the era of SDP, where he was a youth leader and closely associated with late Chief MKO Abiola and the struggle to validate June 12, 1993 Presidential election.
“He was incarcerated in the struggle and went on to become a state legislator in Lagos State for four consecutive terms.
“He was indeed part of the legislative team that laid the foundation for Lagos Master Plan being implemented till date” Adeola stated.”
Adeola lamented that the 9th Senate has lost an experienced legislator with so much to offer the topmost legislative house in Nigeria.
He said that experience was one major ingredient in the smooth and effective legislative process and law making.
The senator prayed for the peaceful repose of the soul of the departed colleague and the fortitude for the immediate family to bear the irreparable loss.