Osinowo, senator representing Lagos east, is dead

Adebayo Osinowo, lawmaker representing Lagos east senatorial district, is dead.

A family source confirmed this to TheCable on Monday, saying the lawmaker known as “Pepperito” in political circles, died after a brief illness.

He had been reportedly admitted at the hospital for weeks.

Osinowo made the headlines after defeating Gbenga Ashafa, then an incumbent senator, in the 2019 primary election of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Lagos east.

He was a four-term member of the Lagos house of assembly, where he represented Kosofe constituency.

Until his death, Osinowo chaired the senate committee on commerce, industries and investment.

He started his political career as the youth chairman of the then Social Democratic Party (SDP) – the platform under which late Moshood Abiola, presumed winner of the 1993 presidential election, contested the annulled election.

Osinowo started out as a civil servant at the federal ministry of works in 1977. He was managing director of NITAL International, Extreme Piling, Construction Company Ltd and NIMCO Dredging Company.

He is the fourth senator to die in the current senate inaugurated last year. Benjamin Uwajumogu of Imo north died in December followed by Ignatius Longjan who represented Plateau south.

Rose Oko, senator who represented Cross River north, died a month after Longjan.

Editor’s note: This story has been edited to correct an error of fact.