Bayelsa PDP Chieftain, Amatu, Slumps, Dies

A chieftain of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in Ekeremor local government area of Bayelsa State, Hon. Tolu Amatu, on Saturday slumped and died in his home in Bay Bridge area of Yenogoa, the state capital.

Amatu was the chairman of the State Environmental Sanitation Authority under the administration of Governor Douye Diri. He also served as the chairman of the Ekeremor council and contested the last primaries of the party to run for the Sagbama/Ekeremor Federal Constituency seat in the House of Representatives.

LEADERSHIP gathered that Amatu, who was in his 50s, collapsed on Saturday night in his residence at the Bay Bridge Road in the Kpansia area of Yenagoa, the state capital, and was rushed to a clinic where he was confirmed dead.

Amatu’s corpse had since been deposited at the Federal Medical Centre (FNC) mortuary but the family members have demanded for an autopsy into his death. Others suspected that the death is related to symptoms of high blood pressure.

He was among politicians who resigned their appointments to contest the ruling PDP’s primaries and were later restored by Governor Diri, after their defeats.

A family source said he complained of pains in his legs on Friday and took some medication at home. Amatu, adding that he complained of waist pain, stomach ache and constipation on Saturday, and later left the house to pay his hotel’s workers’ salaries.

He, however, collapsed in his residence and was taken to a clinic on Samptex Road in Yenizue-Epie suburb of the state capital where he was confirmed dead later in the night.

“He complained of leg pains and took medication. Then yesterday (Saturday), he said he had waist pains and that he had not gone to toilet. He was told to take oranges and others, which he did.

“He was then told to rest, but later he went to the hotel to pay his staff around 5pm. When he returned (home), he went upstairs and collapsed. Sadly, he died before getting to the clinic where he was rushed to. His death came as a shock,” the source said.