Bashir Tofa, MKO Abiola’s opponent in 1993 election dies at 74

Bashir Tofa, former presidential candidate of the defunct National Republican Convention (NRC) aged 74 is dead.

According to family sources, Tofa died at Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital (AKTH) in the early hours of Monday after a brief illness.

Confirming his death, one of the deceased’s relations, said, “Alhaji Bashir Tofa died after a brief illness.”

Tofa was born on June 20, 1947.

In the 1993 presidential election, he squared off against MKO Abiola of the Social Democratic Party (SDP), the presumed winner of the election.

Abiola won the election but the military government of General Ibrahim Babangida annulled the election for no just cause leading to mass protest across the country.