Founding managing director of Democrat Newspaper and an associate of President Muhammadu Buhari, Mallam Ismaila Isa Funtua, is dead.
He reportedly died of cardiac arrest on Monday night.
Funtua is touted to be a member of the ‘cabal’, a group of influential persons around Nigeria’s President said to help him take key decisions.
He was life patron of Newspaper’s Proprietors Association of Nigeria (NPAN) and Chairman of Bulet Construcion company.
Already, President Muhammadu Buhari has reacted to the death of Isa Funtua.
A release signed by Garba Shehu, Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media & Publicity
said “President Muhammadu Buhari received with deep sadness on Monday evening information on passing of his longtime friend and associate, Malam Isma’ila Isa Funtua, who was Life Patron of International Press Institute and Newspapers Proprietors Association of Nigeria (NPAN).
The President condoles with family members, government and people of Katsina State, and all associates of the former President of NPAN, especially the media industry, on the loss, describing him as “greatly admired and respected’’.
President Buhari believes the demise of the publisher and businessman has created a huge gap as Malam Funtua consistently stood by him in his political journey.
The President prayed to Allah for repose of Malam Funtua’s soul, and to grant the family strength and fortitude to bear the loss”.
