President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has mourned the death of former Labour leader, Comrade Ali Chiroma who passed away on Tuesday.
In the condolence message signed by Chief Ajuri Ngelale, Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, on Wednesday in Abuja, the President sympathised with the Chiroma family and the organised labour community over his demise.
Tinubu said Chiroma stood up for the independence of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and defended the downtrodden when it mattered the most.
He prayed to the Almighty Allah to grant repose to the soul of Chiroma while assuring the family of the elder statesman of his “thoughts and prayers in this moment of grief.”
Chiroma died at the University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital on Tuesday and will be buried today in Borno.
He served as NLC president from 1984 to 1988.
His relative and secretary of the NUJ in Borno state, Ibrahim Chiroma, had on Tuesday announced Chiroma’s death in a statement.
The statement said, “The burial for the repose of the deceased will be held tomorrow Wednesday 4 pm at the residence of the deceased, No.7A along Galadima Road, near Muhammadu Shuwa Memorial Hospital (Nursing Home), Maiduguri.”
In 1993, former military head of state, Gen. Sani Abacha appointed Chiroma as head of the Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG).