A popular government critic, Dr Junaid Mohammed, has passed on aged 71, African News Today has gathered.
The 2 Republic lawmaker who was the Vice-Presidential candidate of the Social Democratic Party in the last election, was reported to have died in his home state of Kano on Thursday.
Ahmed Salik, the deceased’s brother confirmed the death to Daily Nigerian on Thursday night, noting the funeral would take place on Friday morning.
Junaid equally served in the House of Representatives during the 2nd Republic until the National Assembly was dissolved by the Muhammadu Buhari-led military junta in 1983.
He later became a voice against the misdeeds of the government at the centre, and was highly vocal in his critique of the administrations of former Presidents Olusegun Obasanjo and Goodluck Jonathan.
In 2015, he began to take on the administration of the current President, Muhammadu Buhari (retd.).
Junaid had in 2016 accused Buhari of running a government that is based purely on nepotism rather than merit.
He was the first individual to publicly call out President’s nephew, Mamman Daura, as the most influential man in Nigeria.
He had said, “The most influential person in the Presidency today is one Mamman Daura whom as you know, is a nephew of the President. His father was Buhari’s elder brother.
“In addition, Mamman Daura was the one who single-handedly brought up Abba Kyari, the current Chief of Staff to the President. In fact, Abba Kyari knows Mamman Daura more than he knows his own father.
Junaid is survived by a wife and four children.