A former member of the Nigerian Senate, Muhammad Kanti Bello is dead.
Aged 72, Bello, who represented Katsina North Senatorial District in the Senate from 2003 to 2011, died in the early hours of Tuesday in Abuja.
Meanwhile, President of the Senate, Dr. Abubakar Bukola Saraki has expressed grief over the death of the former Senate Chief Whip, Muhammad Kanti Bello.
The deceased who served in the Senate for two terms represented Katsina North Senatorial District between 2003 and 2011 under the platform of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
In a statement by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Yusuph Olaniyonu, Saraki described late Bello as an outspoken and courageous legislator, who was always guided by national interest and that of his community in discharging his legislative responsibilities.
“With the death of Senator Kanti Bello, the Senate and indeed the National Assembly has lost a reliable adviser whose wise counsel on national issues was always being sought by both the leadership and individual Senators.
“During his stay in the Senate, late Kanti Bello was known for his outspokenness, forthrightness and courage in telling truth to those in power without attaching any partisan, religious or tribal sentiments”, Saraki stated.
The President of the Senate, according to the statement believes that Senator Bello’s wise counsel, insight and forthrightness would be sorely missed by the Senate, his community and the entire country.
While sympathizing with the immediate family of the late Senator, his friends, constituents and the government and people of Katsina State, Saraki prayed that the Almighty Allah will grant him aljannah firdaus.
In the same vein, former Vice President and chieftain of All Progressives Congress, Atiku Abubakar says the death of Kanti Bello was a great loss to Nigeria’s democratic struggle.
The Waziri Adamawa, in a condolence message released by his media office in Abuja, said he received Bello’s demise with shock.
According to him, the role of Kanti Bello in bringing democracy into being cannot be forgotten in hurry.
He explained that one of Bello’s outstanding virtues was his outspokenness and courage to express his convictions.
“We all belonged to the Yar’Adua political family from PFN to SDP and PDP. He was an active mobilizer and real party man” Atiku said.
The former Vice President noted that, whatever might be Kanti Bello’s perceived flaws; he deserves to be given credit for his contributions to Nigeria’s democratic journey.
The Waziri Adamawa extended his condolences to the Government, the family and the people of Katsina State.
