The conservative candidate in the two-party 1993 Presidential election, Alhaji Bashir Tofa, is dead. He died at the age of 74.
Tofa was the Presidential Candidate of the defunct conservative National Republican Convention (NRC) and a major challenger of Chief MKO Abiola’s Social Democratic Party (SDP) in the controversial June 12, 1993, presidential election, annulled by the military government of General Ibrahim Babangida.
Sources from his family said the former presidential candidate died in the early hours of Monday after a protracted illness.
“Alhaji Bashir Tofa died after being admitted in hospital for some time,” one of the deceased’s relations, Alhaji Muhammad, said.
Tofa was born in Kano to a Kanuri family on June 20, 1947.
He had his primary education at Shahuci Junior Primary, Kano, and then continued studies at City Senior Primary School in Kano. From 1962 to 1966, he attended Provincial College, Kano.
After completing his studies at the Provincial school, he worked for Royal Exchange Insurance company from 1967 to 1968. From 1970 to 1973, he attended City of London College.