By Former minister of Commerce and Industry, Alhaji Jubril Martins-Kuye has passed on.
His death was announced by one of his sons who said the late ex-minister died after a brief illness, on Sunday. He was aged 78.
The Ogun State-born Martins-Kuye was appointed Minister of Commerce and Industry on April 6, 2010 by Acting President Goodluck Jonathan.
He also served as Minister of State for Finance in June 1999 during the first term of President Olusegun Obasanjo, serving until June 2003.
Meanwhile, President Muhammadu Buhari, in a statement, has commiserated with family, friends and associates of the former minister.
According to the statement by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Femi Adesina, the President said he believes Martins-Kuye will be sorely missed for his insight on issues of development, particularly in tailoring budgets that reflect the needs of the people, with his emphasis on full implementation.
In the same vein, the Ogun State chapter of the ruling All Progressives Congress, has expressed “deep sadness” over the passing of the ex-minister, describing him as “an accessible community leader, grassroots mobilizer, moulder of people and builder of bridges.”
This was contained in a statement by the Publicity Secretary of Ogun APC Caretaker Committee, Tunde Oladunjoye who added that Martins-Kuye was an “uncommon bridge builder, patriot and a very humane, courteous and humble politician whose model was politics without bitterness.”
To the Peoples Democratic Party in the South-West, according to a statement by its Zonal Director of Media and Publicity, Lere Olayinka, the passing of the former minister is a loss to the party and the country as a whole, saying the PDP has lost “one of its strongest pillars and greatest Iroko trees in its political forest.”
