Second Republic President Shehu Usman Aliyu Shagari died yesterday aged 93.
Alhaji Shagari died at about 6.30 last night at the National Hospital, Abuja, according to his grandson, Bello Shagari.
He was taken to the hospital on Christmas Day and placed on admission.
“I regret announcing the death of my grandfather, H.E Alhaji Shehu Shagari, who died right now after a brief illness at the National Hospital, Abuja,” the younger Shagari said on his Twitter handle.
Governor Aminu Tambuwal of Sokoto State, Shagari’s home state, also confirmed the death of the elder statesman on his Twitter handle.
He said: “I regret to announce the death of former President Shehu Shagari who just passed away at National Hospital Abuja. May his soul rest in peace.”
His Sama Road, Sokoto residence was in a sober mood as family members received condolences from sympathisers who trooped to the house yesterday.
Further confirming the death of the elder statesman to The Nation yesterday, Bello, his grandson, said that the Second Republic President died at about 7 pm at the National Hospital where he had been on admission for two days.
Also commenting on the demise of the former civilian president was one of his drivers, Bala Shagari, who said the late Shagari suffered from pneumonia for more than 10 days before he was flown to Abuja for medication when it appeared that his condition was deteriorating.
Bala, who said he had been working for the former president before he was elected as President in 1979, described the deceased elder statesman as pious, honest, detribalise and “a gentleman to the core.”
Another of his son, Ibrahim Shehu Shagari, said the remains of the Second Republic President would be flown to Sokoto from Abuja for burial today.0
“We are waiting for the Sultan who will decide where he should be buried,” he said.
The late former president assumed office on October 1, 1979 after winning that year’s election on the platform of the now defunct National Party of Nigeria (NPN).
He took over from Gen. Olusegun Obasanjo who stepped down in fulfilment of the pledge of the military government that overthrew Gen. Yakubu Gowon in 1975.
Shagari who contested on a joint ticket with the late Dr. Alex Ekwueme, was re-elected for a second term in 1983, but his tenure lasted a few months as he was sacked following a military coup on December 31 the same year.
He was detained for several months after he was ousted, and once released, he relocated to Sokoto to live a quiet life.
