APC candidate Abubakar Audu voting yesterday before he went into coma and died |
Abubakar Audu, the
governorship candidate of the All Progressives Party (APC) in
yesterday’s election in Kogi State, died as early as 5 a.m. Nigerian
time on Sunday and INEC official knew about his death before declaring
the election inconclusive.
governorship candidate of the All Progressives Party (APC) in
yesterday’s election in Kogi State, died as early as 5 a.m. Nigerian
time on Sunday and INEC official knew about his death before declaring
the election inconclusive.
According to family sources, Mr. Audu started vomiting blood on Friday
night in what family sources described as a bizarre deterioration in his
health condition. One of the family sources described the late
controversial politician as hypertensive.
night in what family sources described as a bizarre deterioration in his
health condition. One of the family sources described the late
controversial politician as hypertensive.
“He started vomiting blood after he returned from Lokoja,” said the family source who
witnessed Mr. Audu’s deterioration.
He added that Mr. Audu woke up very tired on Saturday, the day of the
governorship election. He said doctors had given the former governor
blood transfusion which gave him enough energy to go to the polling
booth to vote in his hometown, Ogbonicha.
governorship election. He said doctors had given the former governor
blood transfusion which gave him enough energy to go to the polling
booth to vote in his hometown, Ogbonicha.
According to the source, Mr. Audu returned to his home on Saturday and began vomiting again.
“After a while he became unconscious and died around 5 a.m. on Sunday morning,” said the source, who requested anonymity.
The family’s timeline of Mr. Audu’s death indicated that he passed on
before officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC)
started collation and announcement of results.
before officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC)
started collation and announcement of results.
A source at INEC told SaharaReporters that electoral officials knew of
Mr. Audu’s death before they announced the results of his election
inconclusive on Sunday.
Mr. Audu’s death before they announced the results of his election
inconclusive on Sunday.
Mr. Audu was a former governor of Kogi who was accused of stealing
billions of naira from the state’s treasury. SaharaReporters had exposed
a multi-million dollar home bought by the ex-governor in Potomac,
Maryland near Washington, DC.
billions of naira from the state’s treasury. SaharaReporters had exposed
a multi-million dollar home bought by the ex-governor in Potomac,
Maryland near Washington, DC.
The APC chose Mr. Audu as its governorship candidate despite the fact
that he was being tried for money laundering and embezzlement of state
funds by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
that he was being tried for money laundering and embezzlement of state
funds by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
Mr. Audu will be buried today according to islamic rites in his hometown.