President Muhammadu Buhari and Babajide Sanwo-Olu, Governor of Lagos State have expressed grief at the passing of former Minister of Information and Culture, Prince Tony Momoh.
Reacting to the passage, President Buhari said Momoh stood with him through thick and thin, adding: “His brand of loyalty is very rare in the politics of today. I will greatly miss him.” The President in a statement issued by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Femi Adesina in Abuja, Monday recalled that as chairman, Media and Publicity of the All Nigeria People’s Party (ANPP) Campaign Organisation in the 2003 and 2007 elections as well as Chairman of the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC), the late Auchi Prince contributed in no small measure to the growth and strengthening of the organizations, leading to the eventual formation of the All Progressives Congress (APC).
President Buhari commiserated with the media industry on the loss of a veteran who put in a lot to raise the bar of the profession in various ways as editor, manager, administrator, President and Trustee of the Guild of Editors, urging them to sustain his legacies. While also condoling with the Auchi Kingdom, the government and people of Edo State on this great loss, the President prayed that God will grant the departed eternal rest and comfort family, friends and political associates in this period of grief.
In his condolence message, Sanwo-Olu has described Momoh’s death as a colossal loss to Nigeria and the ruling party, APC. He said the death of the elder statesman; politician and journalist was painful and heartbreaking. The governor urged family, friends and colleagues of the deceased as well as leadership of APC to work towards immortalising the late Momoh, saying what he stood for and advocated during his lifetime was a better Nigeria.
Sanwo-Olu said the country would sorely miss the rich experience and knowledge of the former Daily Times Editor and ex-National Chairman of the defunct Congress for Progressives Change (CPC), especially his contributions to national issues through politics and his editorial contents. He said: “The death of Prince Tony Momoh is a great loss to Nigeria. The late Momoh made lots of positive impact in Nigeria during his life time as a journalist, media manager, lawyer, politician and elder statesman. “As Minister of Information and Culture between 1986 and 1990 during the military regime of General Ibrahim Babangida, Prince Momoh served his nation meritoriously. “As a democrat, he played active roles in the formation of various political platforms at the transition stage of Nigeria from military dictatorship to civilian rule. He led his former party, the Congress for Political Change (CPC) to form the APC with other political parties and contributed positively to the party’s victories in the 2015 and 2019 general elections.
“I sympathise with President Muhammadu Buhari, the entire leadership and members of our party. “I also commiserate with Government and people of Edo State on the loss of their illustrious son. “I pray that God will grant him eternal rest and give the immediate family and friends the fortitude to bear the irreparable loss.”
Momoh died on Monday, February 1, 2021 at the age of 80.