By Daud Olatunji

ABEOKUTA—GOVERNOR Dapo Abiodun of Ogun State and a national leader of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Senator Bola Tinubu, yesterday, expressed shock over the death of former Deputy Governor of the State, Alhaji AbdulRafiu Ogunleye, describing him  as a true progressive.

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Ogunleye died yesterday morning at his home town, Itele, Ijebu, at the age of  79.

Ogunleye was deputy governor during the administration of Chief Olusegun Osoba in 1992.

Abiodun, in a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Kunle Somorin, described Ogunleye as an astute administrator and a politician per excellence who contributed immensely to the socio-economic and political development of Ogun State.

He attributed the development currently being enjoyed by the people to the efforts of people like the deceased.

He was a true progressive — Tinubu

Also, Tinubu described Ogunleye as an astute administrator, principled politician and pure Afenifere .

Tinubu, in a statement by his Media Officer Tunde Rahman, said: “The progressive family lost another of its foremost leaders today with the passing of former Deputy Governor of Ogun State, Alhaji AbdulRafiu Ogunleye, at 79.

“Alhaji Ogunleye was an astute administrator, very principled politician and pure Afenifere. He played his part in the socio-economic and political development of Ogun State as deputy to former governor Olusegun Osoba and made important contributions to the country particularly within the progressive camp.

“He was a committed party man who believes in party discipline and supremacy and believes that whatever the party says should be the overriding thing.

“Ogunleye was one of us. He felt the ACN in Ogun was sidelined in the scheme of things in the build-up to the 2011 general election particularly in the choice of governorship candidate.

“Of course I spoke with him at the time and tried to convince him against leaving the party. But Baba was already committed to his course of action and was not ready to change his position. He returned to his natural home when he rejoined the progressives by pitching his tent with the APC after the 2015 elections.”

Vanguard