Adebayo Osinowo: Senator Pepperito dies after brief illness

The senator representing Lagos East in the Nigerian Senate, Adebayo Osinowo, popularly called Pepperito, is dead.

The Chairman of Senate Committee on Industry died on Monday, June 15, 2020.

A Lagos State government official, who wished to remain anonymous, confirmed to Pulse that Pepperito died of coronavirus-related complications.

He's reported to have died at the First Cardiology Consultants in Ikoyi, the same hospital where President Muhammadu Buhari's then-chief of staff, Abba Kyari, died of coronavirus complications in April.

The coronavirus disease has infected over 16,000 people in Nigeria, and killed 420, as of June 14.

In his reaction to the news of Pepperito's death, President of the Senate, Ahmad Lawan, described the deceased as a dedicated public servant who served his country creditably.

President Buhari also praised him for working diligently to advance his administration’s objective of building a better and prosperous Nigeria.

64-year-old Pepperito represented Kosofe Constituency in the Lagos State House of Assembly for four terms between 2003 and 2019.

The businessman was elected into the upper chamber of the National Assembly last year on the platform of the All Progressives' Congress (APC).

He had been a managing director at NIMCO International Co. Ltd, a civil and building engineering firm, between 1990 to 2003.

Pepperito was also managing director at NITAL International, and previously worked with the Federal Ministry of Works, Lagos State.

The deceased had a masters degree in Building Technology.