President Muhammadu Buhari has expressed sadness over the demise of a close associate and exceptional scholar and administrator, Dr Mahmud Tukur, describing him as a true patriot and a nationalist.
The president made his feelings known in a condolence message by his Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu, on Friday in Abuja.
In the message to the family, friends and associates of the founding Vice Chancellor of the Bayero University, Kano, Buhari said: “Dr Mahmud Tukur’s service to the nation will be remembered by generations.
“He had a passion for a prosperous, economically strong and united Nigeria. He was a proud nationalist.”
The President, in his tribute, recalled that as Minister of Trade in his first coming as Military Head of State, Dr Tukur introduced a lot of schemes that revived the local industry.
He noted that the schemes also boosted exports and gave real meaning and effect to import substitution in regenerating the indigenous manufacturing sector of the economy.
He prayed to almighty Allah to accept Tukur in Aljannah Firdaus and give the family, friends, the Adamawa Emirate Council and the people of the state the strength to bear this grievous loss.
NAN
