A former Minister of Petroleum, Chief Don Obot Etiebet, has mourned a former General Secretary of Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers, NUPENG, Chief Frank Ovie Kokori, who answered the final call on Thursday morning at the age of 80.
Kokori had reportedly died from a protracted illness that was partly kidney-related.
His personal assistant, Atawada Barry Oke, confirmed that Kokori died at 1.30 am on Thursday.
Reacting to the demise of the trade unionist. Etiebet, who was petroleum minister when Kokori was General Secretary of NUPENG abd afriend of Kokori, said: “Oh, this is a big loss to the Nigerian struggle for peace, unity, equity, development and democratic norms.
“Chief Frank Kokori was an enigma and gave NUPENG the teeth to bite, providing sources of decent living to the low-income citizens in the petroleum industry.
“His mixture of unionism with politics was in the best interest of the nation to bring justice to the land.
“May his soul rest in peace.
“May God, the Almighty, give the family he left behind the grace to bear this irreparable loss with fortitude.”
Kokori had led the struggle for justice and the sanctity of the ballot box following the annulment of the June 12, 1993 presidential election.
He and others had fought to have the outcome of the poll, which gave Chief MKO Abiola victory, revalidated.
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