Minister of state for agriculture and food security, Dr. Aliyu Sabi Abdullahi, has expressed sadness over the demise of one-time senator of Kwara South Senatorial District, Dr. Rafiu Adebayo Ibrahim.
In a statement issued to newsmen yesterday in Abuja, Abdullahi conveyed his condolences to the Kwara State government, the people of Kwara South Senatorial District and the Ojoku community in Oyun local government area.
Abdullahi noted that he had fruitful collaboration with the late Ibrahim during their tenure as senators in the Eighth National Assembly from 2015 to 2019, during which period Sen. Rafiu served as chairman of the Senate Committee on Banking, Insurance, and Other Financial Institutions, and was a member of the Media and Public Affairs Committee under the chairmanship of Sen. Sabi Abdullahi.
The minister described the late Sen. Rafiu as a friend, brother, confidant and reliable sounding board with whom he shared common views on the welfare of citizens and progress of the nation.
He said the late Rafiu was an embodiment of passion, selflessness, and hard work.
Abdullahi also recalled with fondness that the late Sen. Rafiu joined him in solidarity at the launch of a constituency project in his (Sabi’s) Niger North Senatorial District, and that Rafiu willingly stood in for the senate president on the occasion when the chairman of the National Assembly could not arrive early enough owing to weather constraints.
Abdullahi prayed almighty Allah to forgive the shortcomings of the late Sen. Rafiu, and to grant his soul aljannah firdaus.
He equally urged members of the family of the deceased to be consoled by the remarkable accomplishments of the late senator who passed on at just the age of 57.
