Party members, friends and relatives in Kaduna on Sunday continue to pay tribute to late former deputy gov. of Kaduna State, Mr Barnabas Bala, (popularly known as Bantex).
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Bala, 64, died in an Abuja hospital on Sunday following a protracted illness.
Mr Ibrahim Koli, a Chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Southern Kaduna said that the death of Bantex was a huge loss to the zone.
Koli described the former deputy governor as a bridge builder who always worked to unite Christians and Muslims in Southern Kaduna.
“We are all in shock over his death. His death is a big loss not only to this zone but the state as a whole.
“He was a good man who never discriminated anyone on the basis of tribe or religion.
“Many people are against him because he always speaks the truth, but now that he is no more, they will know his value,” he said
On his part, Mr Donatus Adamu, a close friend of the family told NAN that the deceased would be remembered for his laudable contributions to the development of the state.
According to Adamu, Bantex was a brilliant man who stayed true to his convictions on issues regardless of whose ox is gored.
“The ingenuity in him is something you cannot quantify. He was a bank of ideas and also stayed true to whatever he believed in. We will greatly miss his brilliance,” he stated
Also, Mr Joseph Bala, Bantex’s nephew said that the deceased wanted the best for everyone around him.
“I will miss my uncle so much. He was a man who always wanted the best for everyone around him.
“He keeps pushing people around him to realize their full potentials and be the best version of themselves,” he said.
NAN reports that Bala was Gov. Nasir El-Rufai’s deputy between 2015 and 2019, when he resigned to contest for senate on the platform of the APC but lost to PDP’s Danjuma La’ah (NAN)
