A Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) stalwart from Ekiti State Chie Ishola Filani is dead.
Filani, a former Publicity Secretary of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) in the aborted third republic, dies at 71. He would have been 72 in September.
Former Deputy National Chairman of the PDP, Chief Olabode George said: “The sudden, unexpected and very painful transition of Chief Filani indeed diminishes all of us who knew him well and associated with him far beyond the political landscape.
“He was a man of warmth, full of devotion, enveloped within whatever cause he pursued with vigour and sheer honesty. He resonated with settled intelligence and far reaching determined articulation. He could be combative in debate, but without malice.”
Lagos PPD Chairman Moshood Salvador described him as “a perfect gentleman who never shied away from what he believed in.”
His friend Chief Ebenezer Babatope, said: “I have been pained since I heard of his death. I have known Ishola for many years, I have known his family in Ikole Ekiti and we have been in the same political party together. He was in the Unity Party of Nigeria (UPN) and later he was the Publicity Secretary of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) led by Babagana Kingibe. He later came to the PDP and he became the chairman of the PDP in the Southwest. Nigeria has lost someone put contributed to the political development of the country.”
