LIVE UPDATE: Faleke Breaks Down In Tears At Late Audu’s Burial Site (PHOTOS)
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The late Abubakar Audu
The All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship candidate at the Kogi state election, late Abubakar Audu, who died on Sunday, is set to be buried in his home town, Ogbonicha in Ofu local government area of the state.
Audu was reported to have died in a rather mysterious manner after relatives said he was vomiting blood prior to the announcement of the election results which was held the previous day.
Naij.com team on ground in the state reports that Governor Idris Wada will lead the state’s delegation to the former governor’s burial.
Wada, the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), was the losing contestant in the election which the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) declared inconclusive in the state
Family sources revealed that the former governor, whose health condition had not been stable for some time, was poisoned and had to undergo blood transfusion before carrying out his civic duty on Saturday.
Wailers at the residence of the late former governor of Kogi state
As at the time of filing this report, Naij.com team was on its way to Audu’s hometown in Igala land, where he will be buried today according to Islamic rites.
Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the national leader of the APC, is also one of those expected to appear at the funeral ceremony of the late politician.
Follow Naij.com for live updates from the event.
10.17am: Naij.com can confirm that someone fainted about three minutes ago. APC solidarity also ongoing at the venue with tops, stickers on their cars to show their support for the former governor.
10.15am: Some Islamic clerics chanting laila illa allahu at the late politician’s residence as they prepare to bring out his corpse for the burial.
One of the sympathizers signing the condolence register
10.11am: Mobile policemen have pushed back the crowd in anticipation of the emergence of the corpse from inside the house as more people pour into the compound of the late politician.
9.43am: A group of very young boys have entered the venue, shouting “they have killed our son.”
9.42am: So many Imams are having a meeting on how to go about the burial. While Senator Melaye and Faleke, who broke down in tears, are outside the house in a separate canopy.
The deceased’s running mate, Abiodun Faleke, broke down in tears
9.42am: A resident, Mustapha Jibril who spoke with Naij.com, said: “I came in from Lokoja to confirm the news because I did not believe. He must have been poisoned from Lokoja.”
9.41am: Reports say many people in their thousands were thronging the venue, crying and wailing.
Another resident, Musa Ali told our correspondent that, “he is popular because he absorbed many people into the civil service when he was in power, the university came in as well as other investors. He focussed on the communities, the grassroots. Kogi can never have a person like Audu again.”
Some of the sympathizers at the residence of the late politician
9.35am: Reports say Asiwaju Bola Tinubu and former Kano state governor, Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso will take a chopper from Abuja down to the venue.
9.32am: Isa Ithotho, the first runner up in PDP’s primaries arrived at about 8.58am; Linus Nneche representing Alamoboro constituency at the Federal House of Representatives arrived at about 8.50am; while the Vice Chancellor of the Kogi State University, Professor Mohammed Sanni Abdul-Kadiri got to the venue at about 9.08am.
9.05am: The place where the late politician will be buried is being dug quite close to the mosque inside his compound.
9.00am: Security is tight at the venue as only important dignitaries are allowed into the house of the deceased, while every other person remains within the compound.
8.45am: The Imam to carry out the funeral ceremony arrived a few minutes ago as the residents of the village have continued to lament the demise of their son.
Some wailers claimed that their son and benefactor has been murdered and they have been left stranded.
8.30am: Naij.com correspondents on ground say Senator Dino Melaye, Audu’s running mate, Abiodun Faleke, and some other dignitaries were already at the venue of the burial.
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