• Akpoti-Uduaghan, Oshiomhole, Tambuwal, others pay tribute to former governor
Sunday Aborisade in Abuja
The Senate on Tuesday mourned the former Governor of Kogi State, Alhaji Ibrahim Idris, popularly known as Ibro, who died in the United Kingdom on September 20, 2026, at the age of 77.
The lawmakers paid tribute to the former governor as the Senate resumed plenary, with senators recalling his contributions to public service, business and the development of Kogi State.
The motion was moved by Senator Jibrin Isah, representing Kogi East, who described Idris as a prominent political figure and urged the Senate to honour his memory.
Isah said Idris, who governed Kogi from 2003 to 2012, played a significant role in the political and developmental history of the state. He noted that the deceased had also established himself as a successful businessman before entering politics.
According to him, Idris built the Ibro business empire, with interests in construction, furniture manufacturing and hospitality, including the establishment of a furniture factory in Sokoto and Ibro Hotel.
Isah also highlighted some projects associated with Idris’s administration, including housing for civil servants, school infrastructure, the Lokoja International Market, the State Specialist Hospital and the expansion of the Greater Lokoja Water Scheme.
The former governor remains the longest-serving elected civilian governor in Kogi’s history, having spent nearly nine years in office, according to reports on his political career.
Contributing to the debate, former Governor of Sokoto State and Senator representing Sokoto South, Aminu Tambuwal, recalled Idris’s years in Sokoto, describing his transition from business activities to the hotel industry and his deep roots in the state.
Senator Adams Oshiomhole, representing Edo North, also paid tribute to the late governor, recalling his interaction with Idris during his tenure as governor.
Oshiomhole said Idris had demonstrated concern for workers’ welfare, recalling discussions over the payment of minimum wage when he was President of the Nigeria Labour Congress.
Senators Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, representing Kogi Central, and Abba Moro, representing Benue South, also joined colleagues in commiserating with the Idris family and the people of Kogi State.
Akpoti-Uduaghan described the deceased as an important figure in Kogi’s political history and extended her condolences to his family and the people of the state.
Idris was buried at the Gudu Cemetery, Abuja, after his death in the UK. The burial was attended by Governor Usman Ododo and former Kogi governors Yahaya Bello and Idris Wada, among other dignitaries.
In his remarks, Senate President Godswill Akpabio called for a minute’s silence in honour of the former governor, which the lawmakers observed.
The Senate also resolved to convey its condolences to the family of the deceased, bringing a solemn close to the tribute.
Idris’s death had earlier drawn condolences from President Bola Tinubu and other political leaders. Tinubu described him as a committed public servant whose years in office formed an important chapter in Kogi State’s political and developmental history.