Ex-Kaduna Governor Lawal Kaita dies at 86 How Kaita lost election in 1979 but won in 1983 – NPN chief

to become a permanent secretary ministry of works in 1977.

His early political career started as a member of the Constituent Assembly in 1977-78. He later became Special Assistant to President Shehu Shagari between 198082. The deceased was a founding member of PDP in 1998 before he left to join others in forming the Action Congress (AC) in 2006.

Meanwhile, security has been beefed up around his Katsina GRA residence. Few persons mostly close relations and aides were seen discussing the death some minutes after it was announced.

No family member was available for comment at the time of filing this report last night.

Kaita is survived by a wife, eight children, and many grandchildren.

A former Chief Accountant of the defunct National Party of Nigeria (NPN), Senator Abdullahi A. Gumel (APC, Jigawa) said the late elder statesman Lawal Kaita was a dogged politician.

In a telephone interview, Gumel recalled how the deceased won an election in 1983 after losing it to Alhaji Balarabe Musa in 1979.

“He was a dogged politician who was our candidate for 1979 governorship election in the old Kaduna state. He was defeated by Alhaji Balarabe Musa of the Peoples Redemption Party (PRP) but he re-contested in 1983 and won the election.

“After he was defeated in 1979, he was made the Presidential Liaison Officer (PLO) for Kano state. We had PLOs appointed by the president then in all states. When the 1983 election approached, he went from house to house and slept in the ward, not local government headquarters. He drank the water and food of the villagers during the campaigns.

“It was that campaign strategy that led him to victory at the poll. When the military struck and democracy was truncated, he was arrested like all other public office holders but he was one of the first set of people that was released because he wasn’t found wanting,” he said.

Gumel said the late Kaita would be remembered for his role in the G-34, a group that confronted late General Sani Abacha’s military administration in the 1990s.