The Late Prince Abubakar Audu Full Biography, Life, Career And Death

FULL NAME:             Abubakar Audu

DATE OF BIRTH:       born 1947

OCCUPATION:          Politician

    DECEASED
(22nd November, 2015)

INTRODUCTION

Prince Abubakar Audu was twice the Governor of Kogi state. His first tenure was from January 1992 until November 1993 and the second from 29 May 1999 to 29 May 2003. In 2015 He was once again chosen to be APC’s candidate in the Kogi state gubernatorial election. Was said to have died of heart attack on the election day.

EARLY LIFE AND BACKGROUND

State.

Abubakar Audu began
his working career by spending a total of 25 years with the First Bank,
formerly Standard Bank, where he served in different capacities at management
levels until 1991. He made history as the first black training officer for the
bank and one of the first black senior management staff of Standard Chartered
Bank in London and New York

CAREER AND LIFE

Audu’s sojourn into public service began in 1986 when we has
appointed as Commissioner for Finance and Economic Planning in the Old
Benue state. He served in this capacity until 1988 when the cabinet was
dissolved. He then returned to Fist Bank of Nigeria PLC as a General
Manager.
In August 1991, Kogi state was created from parts of the old benue
and Kwara states. This coincided with one of Nigeria’s many previous
encounters with democracy, and Audu, being part of those who had
advocated for the creation of the state and a notable son of the soil,
was invited to contest for governorship. He contested on the platform of
the National Republican Convention (NRC) and won the election held in
November, 1991. He was subsequently sworn in as the first executive
governor of Kogi state in January 1992.

In 1998, democracy was again re-introduced and Audu, now with the All
Nigeria People’s Party (ANPP), was elected again with over 700,000
votes while his opponent hardly recorded 50% of the vote cast. He was
sworn in on 29 May 1999 as the 2nd Executive Governor of Kogi State.

HIS WORKS

His socio-economic contribution in the state is to date a point of
reference to the generality of the people and many aspiring leaders.
Some of his major achievements during his brief first term of office
include the establishment of three different housing schemes for public
officers consisting of over 1,500 housing units in Lokoja, the
transformation of Lokoja township with asphalt roads, street lights,
aesthetic roundabouts, the construction of inter-township and rural
roads, over 75 electrification schemes and 50 water projects.

Other include the founding of Kogi State Polytechnic, the
establishment of a television station, radio station (both AM and FM), a
state newspaper and the transformation of the colonial residence of
Lord Lugard into an Ultra Modern Government House Complex, the
construction of office blocks for ministries as the new state had no
office accommodation, the construction of shopping arcade complex to
enhance commercial activities, among others
He also pioneered the construction of the first ultra modern state
liaison office in Abuja. His administration also built an ultra modern
stadium and a five star hotel in Lokoja, the Confluence Beach Hotel.

He also took steps to woo prospective investors to harness the numerous
solid mineral potentials in the State. The big prize was the
establishment of Obajana Cement Factory.
The project, which was on going before he left office, attracted the
support of the United State Government. During the visit of former
President Bill Clinton to Nigeria, the State Government signed the
agreement with the US Trade Development Agency (TDA) for a grant to
finalize the feasibility work on the project. The cement project is now
operational.



The establishment of a state university, Kogi State University
Anyigba, is another testimony to the vision and resourcefulness. The
foundation stone was laid on 30 November 1999, when former President
Olusegun Obasanjo, visited the state. About a year later, the President
returned to Anyigba during a state visit to commission the University
complex. According to a report of a visitation panel to the university
from the Nigeria University Commission, the institution was then
described as the fastest growing university in the country. The
university received tremendous international support, which included an
affiliation programme to Morgan State University Baltimore. Also, seven
visiting professors from various universities in the United States were
at the university to review its curriculum and align it with their own
universities and prepare the students for exchange programme to give the
university an international acceptability.

Prince Audu completed several landmark projects within four years.
They include: 250 units Housing Estate, a Sport Complex, a Specialist
Eye Hospital and 25 other medical Institutions. Others are: a Special
Government Girls Secondary School on student exchange programme, 350
borehole schemes, 300 kilometers of township roads, the procurement of
100 transit buses and completion of 40 rural electrification projects.
He was also named the best governor in the 1999-2003 dispensation,
despite being a governor on the platform of the opposition, the ANPP.

A highly traveled politician, Prince Audu brought so many honors to the
country through his personal relationships with foreign statesmen. It is
known that he enjoys a very intimate relationship with the former
British Prime Minister, Mr. John Major. In 1993, he and the member of
his family were special guests of the British Prime Minister at No 10,
Downing Street where he hosted them to a State Banquet. Also in 1993,
His Excellency attended the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in
Cyprus. His connection with the international community saved Nigeria
during the heady days of Shonekan administration from economic embargo.
In December 1999, he was on the delegation of President Olusegun
Obasanjo during the State visit to Germany. On every account, Prince
Audu who maintains a good circle of friends across the country is by
every judgment a great patriot, visionary, humanist and nationalist. The
outstanding achievements of Prince Abubakar Audu have been acknowledged
by several organizations within and outside Nigeria through awards and
honours presented to him.

Gubernatorial Bids

Prince Abubakar Audu contested in the 2003 Kogi State gubernatorial
elections but lost. His loss at the poll has been attributed to
electoral rigging and other forms of manipulation, and 2003 is generally
acknowledged in Nigeria’s history as the beginning of a period of
fraudulent electoral process carried out by the then PDP-led Federal
Government.
In 2007 when election bells rang again, Prince Audu went to the
polls, and was again defeated by massive electoral fraud committed by
the then incumbent – Ibrahim Idris. Prince Abubakar Audu thereupon went
to the Election Tribunal who nullified that election, and ordered fresh
elections. Again, Prince Abubakar Audu contested against Ibrahim Idris,
and again, was defeated by a fraudulent electoral process.

In 2012, Audu again contested against a new comer to the field,
Captain Idris Ichalla Wada, and again Audu was defeated by another
election fraught with fraud. The result of the particular election were
allegedly announced while collation was still on-going.

2015 Gubernatorial Run

Prince Abubakar Audu emerged as the candidate of the APC at the
August 28th Kogi State gubernatorial primary election. Subsequently, he
announced James Abiodun Faleke, a legislator, as his running mate. The
successive PDP governments in Kogi state are currently facing harsh
criticism due to the state of affairs in Kogi, as unemployment has
increased greatly and infrastructure is fast deteriorating. It is hoped
that with the APC now at the helm of affairs, the election in the state
this time around will be void of rigging and voter intimidation, and
that perhaps, Audu may just follow in the footsteps of Muhammadu Buhari,
Nigeria’s current president who finally won the presidential election
on his fourth attempt.

CONTROVERSIES

Corruption Allegations

When Prince Audu left office in 2003, he was charged by Nigeria’s
anti-corruption agency, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission
(EFCC), with corruption. This case has been on for twelve years and many
say it was coined as an attempt by the then ruling PDP to smear Audu’s
image, especially in light of the achievements recorded during his
tenure.
He has responded to these allegations, stating that while he was
governor, the state received less than N400million as monthly
allocation, and that it would have been impossible to embezzle the N12
billion that the agency claims he did when he received less than N19
billion in total, yet embarked on many projects.

The Agency has also changed the figure he allegedly embezzled over
the years; previously, they stated N1 billion, later N4 billion, and
now, N12 billion. Audu has also described the EFCC case as being
politically motivatedWhen Prince Audu left office in 2003, he was charged by Nigeria’s
anti-corruption agency, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission
(EFCC), with corruption. This case has been on for twelve years and many
say it was coined as an attempt by the then ruling PDP to smear Audu’s
image, especially in light of the achievements recorded during his
tenure.
He has responded to these allegations, stating that while he was
governor, the state received less than N400million as monthly
allocation, and that it would have been impossible to embezzle the N12
billion that the agency claims he did when he received less than N19
billion in total, yet embarked on many projects.
The Agency has also changed the figure he allegedly embezzled over
the years; previously, they stated N1 billion, later N4 billion, and
now, N12 billion. Audu has also described the EFCC case as being
politically motivated

Family Issues
The deceased had a lot of family issues reports online reveals. He once was said to have assaulted his wife and abandoned his family.

He was also said to have married a baby bride as  his third wife. The bride who is far below his age is said to be a half-caste from Benue.

HIS DEATH

According to Sahara Reporters, Audu died around 5 am on
Sunday, November 22. In what was considered a bizarre occurrence, his
health had suddenly started to deteriorate on the night of Friday,
November 20 when he started vomiting blood.

A family source said:  “He started vomiting blood after he returned from Lokoja,”
The family source said that the late politician was very tired on the
morning of the Election Day, Saturday, November 21 and doctors had to
give him blood transfusion which provided him with enough strength to go
to his home town in Ogbonicha to cast his vote.
The source added that when he returned to his home, he started vomiting again.
“After a while he became unconscious and died around 5 a.m. on Sunday morning,”
According to the source, Audu had died before the collation and
announcement of the result of the election which was later declared
inconclusive by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
 

T.I.N MAGAZINE SAYS; REST IN PEACE

Audu And Family

SOURCES: wikipedia.org, nigerianbiography.com, naij.com