Bayo Osinowo: Buhari, Tinubu, JAH, Others Mourn Senator

President Muhammadu Buhari has condoled with the family of the Lagos east senator, Adebayo Sikiru Osinowo, who died on Monday of complications from COVID-19. 

A spokesperson of the president, Garba Shehu, said in a statement that Osinowo worked diligently to advance this administration’s objective of building a better & prosperous Nigeria.

"President Muhammadu Buhari offers deepest condolences to the family of Osinowo and the  Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria on the death of Senator Sikiru Adebayo Osinowo, the Senator representing Lagos East senatorial district.

"As a member of the 9th senate and a key member of the APC, President Buhari recounts that Sen. Osinowo as Chairman of Senate Committee on Industry & member of other committees, worked diligently to advance this administration’s objective of building a better & prosperous Nigeria.

"The President affirms that the Senator’s commitment to meet the needs of his community as a four-time member of the Lagos State House of Assembly, devotion to national development as well as insightful contributions at the floor of the Senate would be fondly remembered & missed."

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The national leader of the All Progressives  Congress (APC) Bola Tinubu, in a statement on Monday, described the death as a painful loss to Lagosians.

According to him, “Over the years he became like a family member and brother in so many ways. Bayo and I have come a long way, dating back to our days in the pro-democracy struggles. We both enlisted in the Social Democratic Party where he served so well as the Youth Chairman of that party during the Third Republic and later in the Alliance for Democracy in 1998 after the restoration of democracy.

“Bayo’s contributions to the return of democracy were significant and enduring. As a prominent political figure in Lagos, he served with dedication, passion and concern for the common man.

“In the Lagos State House of Assembly, where he was a four-time member from 2003 to 2019 representing Kosofe Constituency 1, he was more than a member of that House. He provided leadership. He was a stabilising figure. He worked hard and tirelessly to make Lagos a better place.

“He cared for all Lagosians. His election in 2019 to represent Lagos East in the Senate demonstrated not only his immense political skills but also the affection the people have for him and his popularity.”

The member, Lagos State House of Assembly, Ifako-Ijaiye Constituency 01, Hon Temitope Adewale Adedeji (JAH), called the death of Pepperito a "colossal loss". 

He said: "On behalf of my family, the good people of Ifako Ijaiye Constituency 01, I commiserate with his immediate family, His political family and Associate in Kosofe And Lagos State, the Lagos State House of Assembly and the Senate of the National Assembly.  This for us is a colossal loss.

Speaker, Lagos State House of Assembly and Chairman, Conference of Speakers of State Legislatures, Rt. Hon. Mudashiru Obasa, said that the sudden death of Osinowo threw the whole Assembly into disarray and mourning.

He said, "The death of Senator Sikiru Adebayo Osinowo, the representative of Lagos East at the Senate, has come as a rude shock that many of us in the Lagos House of Assembly are yet to recover from.

"We were about to begin the plenary session of the day when the news of his demise filtered in and threw the whole Assembly into disarray and mourning.

"Not many could believe that the ebullient and ever-smiling Pepperito, like a candle in the wind, had been blown out.

"Even with the evidence that death has done its worst, it is still difficult to come to terms that a political pillar and peacemaker is gone.

"For the 16 years ( 2003- 2019) he was in the Lagos State House of Assembly representing the good people of Kosofe Constituency 1, many loved him for the stabilising role he played at every point in the period.

"Throughout his stay in the House, many ran to him for solutions to their socio-political problems because of the sagacity and wisdom he applied to issues.

"The Muslim community of the Lagos House of Assembly will forever be grateful to him for his fatherly role and financial commitment to their course particularly in the building of the ultra-modern mosque within the Assembly complex.

"As a senator and Chairman of the Senate Committee on Industries, Osinowo gave us reasons to be very proud of him as he carried on as a true ambassador.

"The entire Lagos Assembly, its members and staff will remain burdened by his demise, but consistently pray that God should strengthen all those he left behind.

"We also pray that the Almighty Allah will grant him Aljanah Firdaus."

Hon James Adisa Owolabi,  member House of Representatives Ifako-Ijaiye Lagos State, called his death "a great loss to Nigeria, APC Lagos family, Lagos East Senatorial district and his immediate family."

AllNews on Monday reported that Osinowo died of complications from COVID-19 at the age of 64. 

Adebayo Sikiru Osinowo, born November 28, 1955, also known as Pepperito, is a Nigerian businessman and politician. 

Osinowo began his political life in the second republic serving as a youth Chairman of the Social Democratic Party (SDP). 

Osinowo was a four times honorable in the Lagos State house of assembly. Osinowo contested for a seat in the Lagos State House of Assembly for Kosofe constituency and won.

In the February 23, 2019, Lagos East Senatorial District election, he was elected Senator, representing the Lagos East Senatorial District at the Nigerian National Assembly.

He was subsequently appointed as the Chairman, Senate Committee on Industries