Cornelius Olatunji Adebayo, The former senator and ex-governor of Kwara State, Cornelius Olatunji Adebayo dies @ 84
According to family sources disclosed this to the media Adebayo passed away early Wednesday morning in Abuja. He was born on February 24, 1941, in the Igbaja community of Kwara State, Adebayo served as governor of the state in 1983.
He also served as Minister of Communications from 2003 to 2006 and was elected as a senator in 1979 on the platform of the Unity Party of Nigeria (UPN).
Notably, Adebayo was a member of the National Democratic Coalition (NADECO), which played a key role in the pro-democracy movement to restore the mandate given to MKO Abiola in the June 12, 1993 presidential election.
In 1993, Adebayo also was offered a ministerial position in the Sani Abacha junta but declined.
On May 31, 1995, a bomb exploded in Ilorin, the capital of Kwara State.
Following the incident, the police arrested and interrogated Adebayo along with other NADECO members.
Adebayo was said to have went into brief exile in Canada in 1996 after fleeing the country, as the military junta was reportedly closing in on him for a second time.
May his soul Rest in Peace!