Governor Adegboyega Oyetola of Osun State and Kayode Fayemi of Ekiti State have commiserated with President Muhammadu Buhari over the death of his Chief of Staff, Mallam Abba Kyari, who passed on Friday night.
In a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Ismail Omipidan, Governor Oyetola described Kyari’s death as a great loss to Buhari, his family and the entire nation.
In a similar vein, Fayemi in a condolence message in Ado- Ekiti, described Kyari’s death as a great tragedy and a monumental loss to Nigeria at a very critical period.
Said Oyetola: “The late Mallam Abba Kyari was a loyal and dedicated Chief of Staff to President Muhammadu Buhari and served the nation diligently in that capacity. His death is a great loss to Mr. President, his family and the entire nation.
“May Allah have mercy on the soul of the deceased, forgive his shortcomings and grant him Aljanah Firdaus. I pray Allah to also grant Mr. President and the bereaved family the fortitude to bear this great loss,” Oyetola said.
In his remarks, Fayemi said Kyari’s death should serve as a battle cry of unity for all Nigerians irrespective of their affiliations to join hands with the government to wage a total war against the COVID-19 pandemic.
He said Mallam Kyari would be sorely missed by the Presidency, the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, the Federal Executive Council and other statutory bodies he served as member in his capacity as CoS to the President.
Dr Fayemi described Kyari as a reliable partner of the Nigeria Governors Forum (NGF), which he chairs, on issues of development of the Nigerian federation.
He further described Kyari as a committed patriot and altruistic servant who dedicated his life to the service of his fatherland both in the private and public sectors.
According to him, the late Chief of Staff was a goal getter who delivered on any assignment committed to his hands because of his belief that service should always come first.
The governor said Kyari played a part in the historic victory of the APC in the 2015 general election and the equally unforgettable re-election achieved by the party in the 2019 polls.
While noting that Kyari died while on active national service, Dr Fayemi said his sense of selflessness was worthy of emulation by all and sundry.
Fayemi said: “While the nation is mourning the death of Mallam Abba Kyari, his death should unite all Nigerians irrespective of their leanings to join hands with the government to defeat COVID-19.
“COVID-19 is a common enemy that we must all defeat, Mallam Kyari’s death should further fire our collective resolve to fight the pandemic to a standstill.
“On behalf of the government and people of Ekiti State, I commiserate with the immediate family of the deceased on this very huge loss. I also commiserate with President Muhammadu Buhari on the loss of a dependable ally and a loyal aide. May the Almighty Allah grant the family the fortitude to bear this irreparable loss.”
